


Stalker

by whiterose123



Series: Stalker - Collection [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Blood, Captivity, Dark fic, Delusional Behavior, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Forced Relationship, Forced Soul Bonding, Imprisonment, Infatuation, Interspecies, Isolation, Kidnapping, Lima Syndrome, Manipulation, Marking, Mating Bites, Monster-Human Tension, Monsters on surface, Murder, Obsession, One-Sided Attraction, Possessive Behavior, Psychological Horror, Rape/Non-con Elements, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Soul Sex, Soulmates, Stalking, Stockholm Syndrome, Thriller, Unhealthy Behavior, Yandere, Yandere Sans, crazy sans, creepy sans, dubcon, forced romance, home intrusion, reader is female
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2020-11-24 00:50:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 30
Words: 150,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20898914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiterose123/pseuds/whiterose123
Summary: In the monster world, it has always been known that monsters would go to great lengths to be with their soulmate. It would turn into an obsession, a desperate infatuation.To be rejected by your soulmate… it could make a monster go crazy.…Horrortale-based AU where monsters live on the surface. One-sided Horror!Sans/Reader.Contains stalking, kidnapping, violence and rape/non con themes. This is a dark fic. Please mind the warnings/tags!COMPLETE





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome. <3 This is a Yandere!Horrortale Sans story because I needed more of that creepy stuff in my life. This particular story leans more towards the psychological horror/thriller genre and as such, just a forewarning that the Sans featured here is more of an antagonistic/darker portrayal of him. The "reader" character is unnamed and has an ambiguous appearance, but she is not a complete blank slate and does have a personality/backstory. All characters in this story are 18+, including Sans and the "reader".
> 
> Be warned that this is very much a dark fic. As such, please mind the tags and pre-chapter warnings. Every chapter with anything especially triggering will feature a pre-chapter warning, but if you are bothered by things like non-con, violence (there is blood but no gore), stalking and kidnapping, then I recommend not reading this story. I don't want to scare people away, but I'm well aware that stories like this aren't for everyone and I want people to stay safe. 
> 
> ** Disclaimer: ** I do not support rape, stalking, kidnapping or anything that occurs in this story. The events that occur in this story are between adult, fictional characters, and should not be used as models of appropriate things to do irl. Please always get consent and if you ever feel you are being stalked, make sure you take the proper steps to keep yourself safe.
> 
> I do not own Undertale, it is owned and was created by Toby Fox. I also do not own the Horrortale AU concept, which was created by Sour-Apple-Studios.

**\--**

_Trees, protruding branches... darkness…_

_That’s really all you could see. Pitch black, abyssal night that yawned into the distance and threatened to swallow you whole. Even the trunks of the trees within the forest were difficult to visualize.  
_

_Where were you…? Were you lost…?_

_You couldn’t fail now… you couldn’t give up now._

_You _ ** _had _ ** _to get away_**_. _ **

_..._

_What would he do if he caught you...? _

_..._

_You shook your head, heart pounding at the prospect. You didn't even want to feed that thought._

_You trudged through the woods, acutely aware of any sound that echoed around you… the crack of a branch… the whistle of the wind… the rustle of leaves... the skittering in the distance… the shrieking of howling coyotes… _

_Any sign that _ **_he _** _was coming to look for you._

_You couldn’t get caught… you couldn’t go back…_

_A chill breeze bit at your skin and formed prickles of goosebumps along your arms. The sticks and rocks littering the ground pierced into your bare feet, forcing blood to seep from your calloused soles. It **hurt.**_

_But you persevered on._

_You'd get away, no matter what it took._

_ **Four months earlier…** _

“Here you are Aaron. Can I get you anything else? Any food?”

You slid the freshly uncapped bottle of beer towards the brown furred, horse-faced monster that was almost too large for the bar stool he was perched atop. His blue-scaled tail was wrapped around the length of the stool's metal legs and a muscular arm leaned on the counter. He grabbed the beer, that massive bicep of his twitching from the motion.

“No thanks babe, this is perfect for now.” He flashed you a wink and slid a twenty-dollar bill towards you. “Keep the change lovely.”

You grinned, murmuring an appreciative “thank you” and ignoring the light blush that tickled your cheeks.

Aaron turned away and resumed boisterously conversing with the two human males that sat next to him.

This wasn’t anything new. In fact, you quite enjoyed the company of the horse monster despite his somewhat creepy flirting. It took time for you to get used to him, no doubt; his appearance was _not _one you were accustomed to... but eventually, you realized that he was harmless. 

Monsters in general were a new thing in your life after they unexpectedly re-emerged from the Underground five years prior. Before then, they were nothing but fairy tales to someone of your age.

But instead of starting a war like many humans feared monsters would the moment they broke the barrier, they had thrown down the few weapons they had and begged for mercy. You had heard that they looked desperate, hungry - starving even. Fortunately for them, many countries were sympathetic to the plight of the monsters and with some wariness, allowed them to remain living on the surface with humankind. Your home country was one of the few that allowed asylum to the monsters.

This, of course, didn’t mean that the monsters were granted basic human rights immediately. In fact, the last few years were rife with rallies and protests, pro-monster groups fighting for legislation to be passed to give monsters the same rights that humans enjoyed. After a few years, they were successful... mostly. Monsters were now allowed IDs, to drive, their children permitted to attend school, and the government even honored monster currency.

However, despite the progress, many businesses closed their doors to monsters, leaving countless struggling to find a place to live, shop, and eat. Those businesses included the restaurant you worked at up until eight months ago, where after a change of ownership, the establishment became staunchly monster friendly. The logo outside the building now even had big fat letters below its name that advertised ‘MONSTERS WELCOME’.

This change resulted in the loss of almost half of the regular human customers and a few employees as well. But… the establishment was surviving, barely. Gradually, word was getting around that the restaurant welcomed all species and slowly, new monster customers were beginning to trickle in.

Aaron just happened to be one of those monsters that happened upon your workplace. And all too often, your thoughts were swarmed with prospects of what type of monster you might meet _next. _

“Gonna head out for the night, later hun.”

You were jolted out of your muses by the suave voice of the horse monster himself as he unseated himself from the stool. He took a moment to down the rest of his drink and shoot you a sultry wink before exiting the restaurant with a flamboyant sashay of his tail.

You smiled and waved goodbye before moving to discard his empty beer bottle and wiping down the russet wooden counter of the bar. The two men that were previously socializing with Aaron made conversation with you while you cleaned – just small talk: asking how your day was, commenting on the weather. Those two men were regulars - Steve and Carlos were their names. They came almost every day for Happy Hour after work and were quite friendly with the other patrons, human and monster alike. Nice guys.

This type of chatter wasn’t abnormal, you frequently socialized with your customers even if it was a bit forced on your part. Good customer service mattered… that’s how you got such good tips.

Now, you didn’t _hate _your job… it was preferable to working in retail, but it was a _job _nonetheless. And often, it was emotionally exhausting; you had to make sure you were always ‘on’ and smiling in order to net enough tips to keep you financially afloat.

Small talk, smiling, remembering names… all of those things were vital to keeping customers happy. Despite the constant temptation to remain antisocial, you considered yourself quite good at this type of customer satisfaction and sensing what they might want. As such, you faced away from the two male patrons, taking a moment to tug your shirt down so that it exposed your cleavage before resuming the conversation.

This tactic was near failproof when it came to human male customers. And based on the wandering eyes of the two older men, it worked.

After some time though, Steve and Carlos also bid you farewell, leaving you with a generous tip.

_Perfect, that will help pay for groceries this week_, you thought.

Smart customer service strikes yet again.

You were alone at the bar now. Sighing, you resumed wiping down the bar top. It was a slow day. Typically the restaurant was bustling with people at this time of night. Granted, the occasional slow day and break from chaos was nice but… you were here to make money, and fewer customers meant less money. Tips were the crutch of your paycheck.

Leaning against the counter with a huff, you pulled out your phone and began scrolling through your various social media apps, only stopping to snicker when you came across a funny meme. Oh look, your friend Alyssa posted something new on Instagram... not that this was anything abnormal - she posted all the time. Always the popular one. You didn't talk to her much anymore, but nonetheless you still pressed 'like' on her most recent post.

One minute turned into five…

...

...

...

... And you nearly jumped out of your skin when you heard someone shift and _breathe_ behind you. The heck? Who breathed that _loud_? Whipping around, you realized that someone new was sitting at the bar.

_Shit_, it was a customer. You didn’t even hear him come in.

The customer was a monster, and an intimidating looking one at that. His gaze was previously cast down at the table, but darted up to rest on you in an instant. The lone, eerie blood-red glow that encompassed his left eye flashed and quivered, as though struggling to keep focus, and held a dark slit in the center. His right eye was constituted of a nearly vacant socket; a single, dim, white pupil that constantly flickered in and out sitting within a sea of black. What was perhaps even more unnerving though was the sizeable and jagged fracture adorning the top left of his ivory-colored head, gaping wide open and the inside appearing entirely empty.

Your body stiffened as your nerves gripped you; you had never seen a monster that looked like this one before. God, they could be so scary looking sometimes. However, you ignored that sudden bout of apprehension and steeled yourself before approaching him. Being visibly scared certainly wasn’t going to net you a good tip.

_It’s just a monster… just a monster… you’ve seen monsters before. Just like Aaron, _you reminded yourself.

But this monster was far, _far _scarier looking than Aaron.

“Welcome sir! I’m so sorry for the wait. Can I get you anything?” you greeted with feigned exuberance while wearing a false smile.

The enigmatic monster failed to answer. Instead, his red eye constricted and wandered southward to rest on your mouth; an intense stare that made you wonder if you had insulted him somehow. Okay, this was more than a little weird...

You swallowed, shoving your rising discomfort to the back of your mind. “If you don’t know what you’d like yet, I can come back later. I can also get you a menu if you need…”

And... you swore that you saw his pupils dart down to rest on your barely exposed chest. You tried to ignore this – he was a monster, right? You doubted that such things would be of interest to him… maybe you just imagined it. Nonetheless, you found yourself grabbing the collar of your shirt and tugging it up to cover what was visible of your cleavage.

Typically you didn’t mind being checked out… but for whatever reason, this monster staring at you like that made your skin crawl.

The monster exhaled, that blood-red eye of his pulsating and then… his mouth curved into a wide smile. He re-situated himself so that his elbow rested on the counter while his hand cradled his chin, ivory fingers dipping inside his empty eye-socket and rubbing at the edges. “heh, sorry pal, was just thinking. no i don’t need a menu, i’m good. thanks though, real sweet of you to offer,’” he finally spoke, his voice surprisingly friendly in contrast to his creepy visage. “i’m sans by the way. sans the skeleton.”

It was then that you realized that he was, in fact, skeletal. It was not initially apparent just by his face, as his head was not quite the same shape as the human skulls you had become familiar with in your anatomy classes. He appeared to have a bony, almost cartilaginous skin-like layer that surrounded his mouth and eye-sockets; you presumed this was how he was able to blink or even have facial expressions at all. However, what really gave away his skeletal nature was his propped-up arm, his ivory radius and ulna mildly visible under the sleeve of his blue jacket, connecting into his exposed bony carpals and phalanges.

You had met many different monsters of all shapes and sizes, but never one that didn’t seem to have skin or internal organs. How was he going to eat? How was he breathing? How was he even speaking at all?

You shook those thoughts from your head. How he did those things didn’t matter and were, quite frankly, none of your business. He was just a customer that you would most likely never again after this. “No problem. I’m sorry for not noticing you earlier,” you said, mustering your most cheerful voice and flashing him another smile as you introduced yourself with your name. _Just smile and be nice_. “Welcome, Sans. If you decide you want to order anything just shout and I’ll get it right away for you.”

Maybe he just wanted to be left alone? He seemed… uninterested in conversation.

Regardless, you hoped he ordered something. The customers that just sat there, taking up a seat, never ordering anything or tipping were the worst.

Sans’ smile faltered, his ruby hue flashing before engorging to fill its socket... and you would be lying if you tried to tell yourself that this _didn’t_ make you feel uncomfortable. However, just as quickly as it disappeared, his mouth once again stretched into a grin; it almost reminded you of the Cheshire Cat… wide and tense and _always _present...

_This is awkward_.

Maybe you weren’t as good at reading customers as you thought.

Opting to leave him be until he was ready to order, you returned to your previous task of wiping down the countertop.

“lookin’ a little green in the gills there, pal,” the customer, Sans, spoke after what felt like an eternity of uncomfortable silence, a playful lilt to his tone, “somethin' the matter?”

You twitched, stuttering in your motions before sending him a confused look. “Huh? No, I’m fine. Do I look weird? Is there something on my face?”

But Sans merely chuckled, a baritone rumble that vibrated the table.

“hey you don’t hafta hide it, i know my look scared ya. don’t worry, i’m used to it,” Sans quipped, seemingly unoffended. His claws clicked against the counter… _tap… tap… tap..._

You stiffened. Shit, was it really that obvious?

Sans continued, gentle sarcasm dripping from his tone, “i bet you wanna hear my _bone _jokes too but _tibia _honest, i don’t really feel like it right now.”

You paused... and then let go of the breath you were holding in, snorting out a chuckle that Sans seemed to appreciate if his ever-widening smile was any indication. “That’s terrible.”

Sans shrugged. “you liked it,” he remarked smoothly, “so, you’re offerin' to treat me tonight? how nice of you. i’ll take a burg' and a beer, oh and extra ketchup.”

More jokes. He really was harmless. You felt like an idiot for feeling uncomfortable in the first place and judging this monster based on his appearance. You were no better than those anti-monster activists.

“You got it. Coors okay?” At his nod you turned to grab a beer from the fridge, setting it next to him before punching his food order into the computer to send to the cook.

“thanks.”

You watched Sans with mild curiosity as he took a sip of the drink. He didn’t have a throat, so where did it go? His neck was composed solely of the cervical vertebrae that columnated up to his skull. However, the liquid seemed to just… disappear in his mouth. How?

It was then that you noticed the delicate, ethereal blue tinge that snaked ever so subtly around his bones, appearing to connect them like tendons. It was barely noticeable and had you not been studying him like some kind of creep, you might not have noticed it. You knew that monsters used magic – an ability that humans lacked entirely. Did Sans use magic simply to exist and function like a normal being?

Your mind was swimming with gnawing curiosity and questions that were entirely too inappropriate to ask, but...

“Uh, I’m sorry – and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to! But I’m curious, how do you…?” You gestured to the drink he was clutching.

You couldn’t stop yourself. You were too curious; monster anatomy was fascinating.

“heh, don’t worry about it. i could tell that question was burning in your mind since you’re starin’ so much… so to answer it - yeah, it's magic.” An amused chortle escaped him. “if ya have any other doubts, be reassured that i can do _anything _a human can do with magic.”

_Right, magic._

That was always the answer to everything that monsters were able to do. It almost made you jealous. You wished you could use magic.

A moment of silence passed and you heaved a sigh… even though he didn’t appear bothered, you made a mistake. “Listen, I apologize, I shouldn’t have asked that question, that was really inappropriate of me.” 

“doesn't bug me. why you ask? it bother you?” Sans snickered and slouched further into the table, the claw dipped into his eye socket scratching at the bony edges of it. “tell ya what, how about you answer something for me bout' humans to make it even?”

The sound of his claws grating at his skull assaulted your ears, like nails on a chalkboard. You quirked a brow. Did it not hurt him to do that? It was a little… odd… but you chose not to remark on it and again forced a smile. “Let’s see what you got. Ask away.”

“so…” He leaned over the table, tone hushed, “i heard that human females just start bleeding _down there_ for a week once a month – that true?”

“Uhhh,” you sputtered, unprepared for the oddly private question. Did female monsters not do that? Did male monsters not know that it was inappropriate to ask something like that? You knew that monster social norms differed from humans, but this was… strange. “Yes, yes we do. It’s natural.”

Well that was embarrassing... you didn’t really want to answer, but you supposed you owed him for starting that string of body-related questioning. _Ugh..._

You hid your face in your sleeve as your cheeks burned, hesitating to eye the quivering crimson hue in front of you.

“huh…” was all he said in response, “the more ya know.”

Another moment of awkward silence passed between you and him.

…

You weren’t going to get a good tip from this customer, were you?

...

... But maybe… you could salvage it…

You had your ways.

“Well… I think your food should be just about ready, so I’m gonna go check, okay?” You flashed him a smile before rushing to the kitchen.

“don’t take too long,” Sans said your wake.

“Brian!” you hissed, peeking your head over the small window into the kitchen. Due to your shorter stature, you had to stand on your tiptoes to accomplish this. The wafting scent of grease hit you immediately and the brightness of the kitchen in contrast to the bar made you squint as you set your eyes on the cook. He was idly flipping a burger, failing to answer you as he remained distracted by the headphones jammed in his ears. “Brian!”

After a moment, Brian plucked one of the buds from his ear and cocked his head towards you.

“Hey!” His face lit up and a bright smile was sent your direction. Though he continued to work, pushing his spatula down onto the burger patty, causing it to sizzle and ooze grease. “Here for that burger order? I have it almost ready.”

You nodded. “Yes, and can I add an order of fries onto that too? If you have any ready that is.”

“You got it,” Brian responded cheerily, readying the burger and tossing some already prepped fries on the plate next to it before handing it to you. "Luckily for you, I already had some prepared.

“Nice of you to plan ahead.” You grinned and sent a wink his direction. "Thanks!"

Grabbing the plate of food, you hurried back to your bony customer... but not before snatching a full bottle of ketchup from one of the empty tables along the way, because who didn't like ketchup with fries?

When you returned to the bar, you noticed Sans staring at his half-empty beer bottle. Although almost immediately, his attention swapped to you, that blown-out eye following you as you glided over to him.

“Okay, I have and order of burger, extra ketchup, and some bonus fries,” you said, sliding the plate of food in towards him and smiling that fake grin of yours. “And don’t worry about paying, this one's on me. Consider it a special welcome treat for being a first-timer,” you finished with a wink.

Sans gaped at you, silent, as though he had been struck by lightning. He glanced down at his food before his flickering pupils once more zoned in on you like a laser.

… What was wrong now? Did you offend him?

…

_This is _ ** _so_ ** _ awkward._

You hesitated, smile faltering and muscles growing stiff under his searing gaze. Beads of sweat began to slick your palms, but you wiped them off on your apron.

“Um, did I say something wrong?” you questioned after what felt like an eternity of his staring.

This appeared to snap Sans out of whatever odd trance he was in, his red eye abruptly quivering as though jolted awake. “thanks, but uh, are ya sure? i was just joking earlier when i said you were treating me.”

Relaxing, you grinned and brushed a strand of hair behind your ears, inwardly thankful that the moment of awkwardness had passed. “Of course, it’s no problem at all. You just have to promise me that you’ll come back?”

It really was no problem. In fact, you weren’t paying a dime for this meal either. Being an employee, you were allowed one free meal a day... which you never utilized for yourself; the food was much too greasy for your preference. So why not give it to others?

It was _technically _against restaurant policy to give unused free meals to customers, but… you did it often anyway; it was your ace in the hole for impressing them. What your boss didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. And, in a moment of occasional deception from you, you decided that Sans didn’t need to know that it was free for you either. You would let him think that you paid out of the kindness of your heart; that would hopefully lead to him becoming a loyal customer, and maybe a good tipper in the future. <strike>You needed the money.</strike>

At your words, you noticed that what appeared to be a blue-tinged blush creep across his cheekbones. However, it was so mild and subtle, and disappeared in an instant. Did you just imagine it?

Sans nodded mutely and turned his attention to the plate of food.

“Well, I’ll leave you to your meal, but let me know if you need anything else, alright?”

You again shot him your people-pleasing grin before turning away from him and returning to your duties. The restaurant would be shutting down for the night soon and you wanted to get a head start on your closing tasks. You did, however, take note that Sans wasted no time in digging into his food.

Tipping the bottle of ketchup unceremoniously over his plate, Sans dumped an appalling amount onto his fries and burger, to the point where almost the entire plate was coated in the red, thick liquid. The scent of liquid tomato was so strong in the air that even you could smell it from the other side of the bar.

You blinked. Okay... you thought he might want ketchup... but not _that _much. You wondered if that was an accident? After all, you too had unintentionally added far too much ketchup to your burgers before.

.... But in his case, nope, it appeared to be no mistake as he undauntedly and immediately began devouring the food with such vigor that it was as though he hadn’t eaten in years.

He must _really _like ketchup...

You also took note that just like the beer from earlier, the food also appeared to just… disappear in his mouth after he chewed it. It made you wonder if it was getting turned into magic. Perhaps monsters like him had to eat not to sustain their bodies as humans did, but to rejuvenate and preserve their magic. It was a theory, and one that you didn’t dare intrude on your skeletal customer again to confirm or deny. You had already been far too personal tonight with him.

You sighed and began humming quietly to yourself, grabbing a dirty glass out of the sink and scrubbing it. Out of the corner of your eyes, you swore that you saw him watching you while he ate; that singular eerie, crimson eye burning into your back and never faltering. However, every time you peeked over your shoulder to check, you found his gaze cast down on his food. Strange...

After some time went by, you heard the audible squeak of a stool being pushed back. You turned to see Sans, now standing and his plate cleaned of every crumb. “hey, got something for ya,” he spoke lowly as he outstretched a closed hand towards you. “here.”

You held out your own hand... and gasped when he dropped a crumpled fifty-dollar bill into your palm. But he didn't pull away immediately; he lingered, the tips of his phalanges coursing over your fingers as though caressing them. A small shiver rattled your body at this and you yanked away when goosebumps began to prickle your skin. His bones felt oddly smooth yet sharp at the same time.

But you were far too distracted to pay much mind to this strange action of his – you just got a massive tip!

A pang of guilt rolled around in your gut as you realized that he likely only tipped so generously because he thought you paid for his meal. You contemplated telling him, but pushed the thought away, not willing to jeopardize the good faith you had built nor give up the amazing tip you had just received.

“Thanks,” you mumbled.

You shoved the tip in your pocket before grabbing the empty plate and beer, setting the dirty dishes into the sink and discarding the glass bottle. You heard Sans shift behind you.

“i’ll seeya around,” was all he said, and you felt the atmosphere in the room change.

You turned to say your goodbyes, but he was gone. Like he had just vanished into thin air. Huh. Creepy. But you chalked it up to more magic in the end.

You wondered if you actually would be seeing more of him.


	2. Sans: Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To avoid confusion, the first scene of this chapter is a section of the previous chapter from Sans’ perspective. Feel free to skip it if it bores you, but I recommend reading it since Sans’ POV is quite different from readers. The rest of the story will not be like this and this is the only chapter that features two POVs of the same scene. Thanks so much for the support so far! <33
> 
> ** Warning: ** Explicitly described sexual act, some NSFW thoughts.

\--

Sans had never been to this particular restaurant before. He walked past it frequently, particularly noting when it began opening its doors to monsters. But he had never been inside. Not until today, when Grillby’s had been temporarily closed down due to a health code violation that he was _ certain_ some monster-hating human had fabricated, did Sans decide to give this human-run restaurant a second glance... as much as he hated the idea...

Coming to the surface had confirmed one thing - most humans were pathetic and didn’t deserve their lives.

The years of fighting for the right to simply exist among them, the monster-hating humans at every corner just waiting to make his and his bro’s lives miserable… it made it difficult to not want to return to his old ways of simply chopping off their heads when they got too close.

Humans were useless**. **<strike>Why did he ever feel guilty about killing them in the Underground?</strike>

But with nowhere else to go today, he decided to give this restaurant a shot. After a long day of work, he was starved and didn’t think he could stomach another serving of Papyrus’ spaghetti. He didn't even get his legally required break today.

He entered, wordlessly bypassing the hostess at the front – she wasn’t worth his time, and moved to sit at the bar.

A human woman was tending the bar. You didn’t notice him yet, too busy staring at your phone. He didn’t care though; you were probably just as annoying and pathetic as the rest of them.

However, he found himself studying you regardless. You were right there in front of him; he was basically forced to look at you… so why not? His first thought was that he was taller than you - an abnormal thing for him. He was considered short in the monster world and while monsters were naturally larger than humans anyways, he was certain that he stood almost a head over you. Your hair hung loosely, perhaps a bit messy from a long day at work. Hugging your figure was a navy colored uniform, which was partially covered by the black apron strapped around your front.

For reasons unknown to him, he was filled with the sudden urge to reach out and touch you... like a strange magnetic pull _drawing him in_. His hand twitched and began to rise… but he stopped himself, instead staring down at the table and shifting before letting out a harsh exhale.

You must have heard him because you whipped around towards him, a startled look adorning your face. Finally, some service.

He expected you to look at him with fear, like they all did. Even those places that claimed to be ‘monster-friendly’ always had employees that distrusted his kind. And you did, your body stiffening in a way that did not go unnoticed by him. But it passed. Interesting.

“Welcome sir! I’m so sorry for the wait. Can I get you anything?” you asked. And your voice… it was so… cheerful and kind, you even smiled at him.

Sans wasn’t expecting that... and he couldn’t stop himself from staring at your lips. He felt his soul thump and he didn’t understand why. He ignored it.

You spoke again, “If you don't know what you would like yet, I can come back later. I can also get you a menu if you need…”

He held the silence for a moment longer, his gaze lingering on you and waiting for your smile to drop.

But it didn’t... huh...

It was strange… discomforting almost… he wasn’t used to humans treating him this way. Sure, not all humans were racist or mean towards him, but his appearance tended to drag out hushed murmurs and averted gazes whenever he was in public places... like he was nothing but a _freak show. _

Was this some kind of trick...? Was there a punchline after this...?

...

He reminded himself that you were likely only acting this way as a part of your job. That behind the confines of your mind, you were thinking all sorts of _nasty _things about him... but even if this behavior was fake, within the darkest depths of his soul… he liked it.

His eyes trailed south and… he noticed that your cleavage was partially exposed. He had almost forgotten that humans had those too...

Female humans weren’t all that different anatomically from some female monsters, were they?

... But then he remembered, you were still there waiting for an answer. Whoops.

“heh, sorry, no i don’t need a menu, i’m good. thanks though, real sweet of you to offer.” He relaxed into the table and propped his head up with his hand, clicking his claws against his skull and grinning at you. “i'm sans by the way. sans the skeleton.”

He didn’t know why he felt the need to introduce himself to a random restaurant worker, let alone a random _human_ restaurant worker. But, for some reason... he wanted to.

“No problem. I’m sorry for not noticing you earlier,” you said, voice filled with warmth, “Welcome, Sans. If you decide you want to order anything just shout and I’ll get it right away for you.”

And not only did you smile at him again in a way that made his soul swell, you then told him your _name _too.

... He decided that he would remember that name.

Again, you stared at him, your expression a delicate mixture of nervousness and curiosity despite your cheery attitude. His mouth curled into a knowing grin. Ah, there it is.

Sure, you were kind on the outside but… like the rest of the humans, you were _predictable._

_heh heh.  
_

“lookin’ a little green in the gills there, pal... somethin' the matter?”

However, he didn’t get the reaction he was expecting as you merely flashed him a confused look.

“Huh? No, I’m fine. Do I look weird? Is there something on my face?”

So, Sans chose to remark on the obvious, claws rasping against the table.

“hey you don’t hafta hide it, i know my look scared ya. don’t worry, i’m used to it,” he quipped, chuckling. _strange human. _“i bet you wanna hear my bone jokes too, but _tibia_ honest, i don’t really feel like it right now.”

He was oh so tempted to play with you further; to toy with your discomfort but… things were getting a little too serious now and he felt like lightening the mood. Maybe he should make an effort to create a positive relationship with this seemingly not-so-bad human... maybe... 

He let his joke hang for a moment, studying you as you processed it. Would it annoy you like Paps? Would you just ignore it altogether? Or would you laugh?

To his delight, your posture relaxed and you snorted out a chuckle. Oh, he enjoyed this.

“That’s terrible."

“you liked it.” He shrugged. “so, you’re offering to treat me tonight? how nice of you. i’ll take a burg' and a beer, oh and extra ketchup.”

“You got it." You laughed again, lips forming yet another smile that he found himself unable to take his eyes off of. Okay, he definitely wouldn't mind seeing more of that smile.

“Coors okay?”

He nodded, though he barely heard the question... far too focused on everything else about you. _Stars,_ Paps would kill him if he saw him checking someone out like this.

Sans unashamedly watched as you turned and bent towards the refrigerator to grab his beverage, eyes tracing over the curve of your back, to your hips, and down your legs. You looked so soft, so fragile. He wanted to…

Before he could think on it anymore, you stood back up and set the beverage next to him. Shoving the intrusive thoughts to the back of his mind, he grabbed the drink and took a sip of it. It wasn’t bad. The alcoholic, magic-infused monster beverages at Grillby’s were better, but it wasn’t bad.

Silence graced between you and him as you busied yourself sending his food order to the kitchen, but Sans noticed that you continued to stare at him out of the corners of your eyes. He clicked his claws once against the table.

“Uh, I’m sorry – and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to! But I’m curious, how do you…?” You broke the silence, gesturing to the drink in his hand.

“heh, don’t worry about it. i could tell that question was burning in your mind since you’re starin’ so much… so to answer it - yes, its magic.” An amused chortle left him. “if ya have any other doubts, be reassured that i can do anything a human can do with magic.”

For a brief moment, Sans had the invasive thought of all the things he _really would_ like to show you that he could do with his magic. He ignored it.

Dense silence graced the room and Sans' soul clenched as he wondered if his comment had bothered you. It troubled him just a little but at the same time, why should he care if he made you uncomfortable? You were just a human...

_..._ Just a human...

...

...

But then he heard your voice again.

“Listen, I apologize, I shouldn’t have asked that question, that was really inappropriate of me.” 

“doesn't bug me. why you ask? it bother you?” A snicker left him and a wry grin etched at his jaw. “tell ya what, how about you answer something for me bout' humans to make it even?”

He knew the question was dumb and not even something that was of particular interest to him, but… he wanted an excuse to keep a conversation going with you.

Deep down… he wanted you to be comfortable around him.

You quirked a brow and then let out a huff. “Let’s see what you got. Ask away.”

“so…” He leaned over the table, tone hushed, “i heard that human females just start bleeding _down there_ for a week once a month – that true?”

While he truly didn’t care what the answer was, he also didn’t know. The weird things that human bodies did were always gossiped about amongst other monsters, but they had always been just rumors and Sans never bothered to confirm accuracy.

“Uhhh,” you sputtered out, “Yes. Yes we do. It’s natural.”

A light blush graced your cheeks, and Sans found that he just _loved_ this look.

“huh…” He clicked his claws once against the counter. “the more ya know.”

“Well… I think your food should be just about ready, so I’m gonna go check, okay?” You shot him a smile before rushing away.

“don’t take too long,” Sans said in your wake, nursing his beer and gaze following as you disappeared around the corner.

He had to admit this human was fun. He actually... found himself enjoying your company.

When you came back into view you were grinning, as though you had just been laughing. <strike>Who else could have made you smile like that? </strike>_ <strike>Why?</strike>_ A twinge of odd jealousy gripped him... but it departed when you set the warm plate of food in front of him, the hunger pains the scent incited far too familiar.

“Okay, I have an order of burger, extra ketchup, and some bonus fries,” you said, “and don’t worry about paying, this one's on me. Consider it a special welcome treat for being a first-timer.”

You polished off your generosity with a wink. And he froze, jaw going slack. He had joked earlier about this, yes, but he didn’t necessarily _mean_ it. Food was such a rare commodity in the underground that the gift of it for no charge was one of the most precious things a monster could offer another monster. Although he realized things were different up here and that you _probably_ didn’t mean it like that, he couldn’t help the shudder that reverberated through his soul.

“Um, did I say something wrong?”

Right, you were still there waiting for a response.

“thanks, but uh, are ya sure? i was just joking earlier when i said you were treating me.”

He really was - it’s not like he didn’t have money. In fact, he had it in spades now that the human government had chosen to begin honoring monster currency and converting it into their human dollar.

You grinned and brushed a strand of hair behind your ears. You looked so… delicate. “Of course, it’s no problem at all. You just have to promise me that you’ll come back?”

He felt his magic simmer at this, his cheekbones flushing in its warm caress, but he forced it away. He would _not_ blush at a human. But… what did you mean by that? Did you like him like that? … Not only did you gift him food, but now you were asking him to come back and see you again.

And the way you smiled at him… _stars_ … there really was something about that smile.

He had never known humans to think that way about monsters, but maybe… you did. He would have to ponder more on this.

For now, he turned his attention to his plate and after adding the perfect amount of ketchup, began to dig in. The only thing that stopped him from ravenously devouring it like some kind of wild animal was because you were still there, watching him curiously out of the corner of your eyes. For some reason, he didn’t want you to see him as a slob.

After he finished, he found himself lingering at the bar, observing you. He didn't know why, but he felt… drawn to you. At this point you were no longer paying attention to him and instead entirely focused on your work, humming softly to yourself all the while. It was actually quite… nice to listen too. It almost made the near-constant throb in his head disappear for just a moment.

But time passed, <strike>far too fast</strike>, and he decided that he should return home before Paps began to worry about him. Standing and deliberately pushing his stool back loudly enough to alert you, he shoved his hand in his pocket, searching for the largest bill he could find.

That warm expression that was still painted on your face once again made his soul thump behind the confines of his ribcage.

“hey, got something for ya.” He outstretched the hand clutching the crumpled fifty-dollar bill towards you. “here.”

A part of him wanted you to know that he could have easily paid for the meal... that you weren’t doing him any _favors_ by giving it to him for free. Another part of him just wanted to show off to you that he had money… he didn’t know why; you were just a human and humans weren’t worth the effort to impress. But really, he just wanted to touch you; a desire that had enigmatically been clawing at him like a dog digging furiously in the dirt for its bone since he arrived.

So, when you held out your hand to him, he purposefully lingered for a while. Running his phalanges across your palm and along your fingers as he dropped the generous tip into your hand. His soul buzzed at the contact, resonating within him in a way that was foreign.

It was… strange.

He noticed that you shivered as he scraped at your palm, which filled him with an odd delight. However, the way you pulled your hand away so quickly… that didn’t make him so happy, but it’s okay. He forgave you for that.

“Thanks,” you mumbled.

Was that guilt he heard in your tone? Why were you guilty? Perhaps you felt bad about the way you jerked your hand away from him. After some deliberation he deduced that yes, that must be it. After all, you clearly liked him

Smiling to himself, he tucked his hands into his pocket and turned away from the bar.

“i’ll seeya around,” was all he said before teleporting home.

A fleeting thought told him that he’d likely never see you again but… perhaps he really would come back, just like you so generously offered.

_ \---_

Sans tried to tell himself that he wasn’t returning to the bar today for that human, that it was just because the food was the next best thing without Grillby’s being open… but yet… as he found himself strolling into the restaurant after his work shift was over the very next day, he also found himself secretly hopeful that the same bartender from yesterday would be there.

And much to his subconscious delight, you were. His soul buzzed within him the moment he set eyes on you.

…

He found himself wondering what your schedule was. Maybe he could coax it out of you today.

To his dismay however, he found that he wasn’t alone with you tonight. As he approached, he could see two human males hanging over the bar like slobs and happily chatting with you. You were even laughing with them, _smiling. _

<strike>Why were you smiling at </strike> ** <strike>them</strike>**<strike>. </strike>

His head throbbed with pain and he was invaded with the inexplicable urge to paint the restaurant red with their blood. The vivid image of their dismembered bodies sprawled across the bar flashing through his mind, leaving the human female terrified and alone. <strike>Alone and only for him.</strike>

_stop. _

He shook his head, shooing the inappropriate thoughts away. He couldn’t think like that anymore… it was no longer like it was in the Underground, where killing humans was accepted. Shoving his hands into his coat pockets, he exhaled harshly and approached the bar, taking a seat three down from the two males that currently occupied the attention of _his _bartender. Not too close to them, but hopefully close enough to gain your attention.

To his delight, not but ten seconds later he was noticed.

“One moment guys,” you told the two men you were chatting with before turning towards him. “Sans right?”

His soul thumped just at the sound of you saying his name. You _remembered. _

He nodded in response.

“Welcome back, glad I didn’t scare you away after yesterday.”

You leaned against the bar, flashing him a smile that made his soul swell. He noticed that your hair was tied up today. It looked… good on you, the way it was compiled into a single elegant strand atop your head, giving him a pleasing look at your delicate, fleshy neck.

Was it soft? It looked soft, perhaps even softer than your hands. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to grab that alluring ponytail and yank your head back so he could feel just how tender your neck really was. He would feel it with his hands, caress it, maybe even sneak a _taste _of it. His magic simmered, beginning to form his tongue at the thought. How would you react if he did that? Would you like it? Would you hate it…?

But he was yanked from his thoughts when you snapped your fingers in his face.

“Hey Sans? Are you in there? You okay?”

His eyes flickered back to yours. You looked genuinely concerned and he decided that he rather liked you paying attention to him like that. <strike>Maybe he could pull your attention away from those other men.</strike> He relaxed his posture and shot you the friendliest grin he could muster. “perfect now that i’m here. heh, just a long day ya know?”

“Great, you had me worried for a bit there. I get you though, my days get long too sometimes,” you responded. “Can I get you anything to make your night better? A drink?”

In another nagging thought that invaded his mind, Sans realized that there was _a lot _of things you could do to make his night better. You looked like you could do many things with those cute lips of yours, those delicate hands… but no, stop, _stop_, that’s _inappropriate_. He needed to stop thinking about that.

While he would admit that you were pretty for a human - which was strange for him as he didn’t realize that he was attracted to _humans_ at all, there were far more important things to be concerned about than fucking some girl. There was a time that he was interested in such things… but that time was long in the past. He had himself and his brother to worry about now.

He probably just needed to jack off and get it out of his system.

“same as yesterday,” he said, realizing that he must have been silent and staring for some time as your smile had faltered.

“... Great. One moment.” You nodded, smile returning as you turned and bent down to grab his desired drink from the refrigerator.

And he couldn’t help his wandering eyes that trailed down your back to rest on your hindquarters; they looked like they would fit just perfectly in his hands. He found himself wanting to ‘shortcut’ behind you, grind up against you and see just how perfect _other_ parts of him would fit.

Another thought he should have banished from his mind but eh, what was the harm in fantasizing?

“Heya buddy.”

Sans was torn from his thoughts when he realized that one of the two human men that were also at the bar was now talking to him, having moved a seat closer to him. The male flashed Sans a tentative grin, holding out a hand as though he expected Sans to shake it. “Haven’t seen you around here before,” the male human continued. He had red hair and a shortly trimmed beard, appeared middle aged, and was on the taller side for humans, perhaps a little fat too. “I’m Steve.”

“And I’m Carlos,” the other male human behind ‘Steve’ said. This one was darker skinned, and had darker hair as well, and appeared to be both shorter and younger than his companion but still on the middle-aged side.

“sans,” Sans greeted in as few words as possible, bones growing rigid as he took Steve’s hand to shake it.

His hand wasn’t even close to as being as soft or pleasant as the yours. And a dark, gnawing pull at the back of Sans’ mind told him that he should just grab on and yank this human’s arm right out of its socket.

<strike>Dig his claws in and tear him apart limb by limb.</strike>

He didn’t do that though. That wouldn’t be _socially appropriate_.

His hand left Steve’s just as you returned. You wordlessly set the cold beverage down next to him, flashing another smile that was simply _adorable_ before trailing off to the kitchen. Sans stared at you, ignoring the two men next to him as he allowed his pupils to follow your form as it grew smaller and eventually disappeared around the corner.

... He found himself missing your presence already.

“She’s a cute one, isn’t she?” The human, ‘Steve’, remarked. “Reminds me of the time that I was young and single. But ya know, life happens, and now I’m old with kids and a wife.”

Sans shrugged, brushing off the human’s unwanted remarks. He didn’t care, even if it did cause a subtle twinge of odd jealousy to tickle him. “wouldn’t know.”

“Oh really?” Steve raised a single red eyebrow at him. “I mean, I would have thought that, being that you aren’t human and all… but I noticed the way that you were staring at her. And hey, like I said, I don’t blame you. She is cute.”

“Those times she gives us a view of her ass are the best,” the other human, ‘Carlos’, said, “Sometimes I like to order a beer that’s not on tap just to watch her bend over and get it from the fridge.”

<strike> _ **what.** _ </strike>

In a knee-jerk reaction, Sans felt his magic erupt to life like a blaze of uncontrollable fire, sudden _anger _reverberating through his body that rattled his bones and shook him to his core; skull throbbing like it might split into two.<strike>Kill him, kill him. Pierce a bone through his heart and…</strike>

_stop… stop… _

It took every fiber in his being to calm himself and not do something that he would regret. _Maybe _regret.

…

No, no, it wouldn’t be worth his effort to kill over you. Why should he care how other humans looked at you? It didn’t matter… _it didn’t matter_…

But the two humans must have noticed his turmoil. Their faces were mirrors of each other: skin paling a shade lighter and eyes widening. The sheer discomfort emanating from the two men was dense in the air; though Sans hardly paid attention to this.

“H-hey buddy,” Steve quailed out after nearly a minute of silence. “We didn’t mean it like that, it was just harmless guy talk you know? Take it easy okay? …God that thing you did with your eye was really freaky.”

Sans ignored him, snorting and turning away; uncaring about what he had to say. They’re scared of him? They think his magic is ‘freaky’? _Good_. Let them be. <strike>Let them be too scared to _ever_ look at you again.</strike>

Fortunately, they got the message. After some hushed murmuring amongst themselves, they gathered their things and left; leaving their half-finished beers on the countertop.

When you returned, Sans noticed that your face dropped to a frown as you stared at the half-empty beer glasses and the stools that the two male humans had been occupying.

“Did Steve and Carlos leave already…?”

He twitched. Why? _Why _did you seem disappointed about this? You should be _happy _that he got rid of them for you, so that their lecherous gazes would accost you no longer. He did you a _favor_… he didn’t _have _to help you like that.

“yeah, they had to go. said something about a wife needing help with the kids,” he lied, shrugging and taking a swig of his beer.

“… Ah, I guess that makes sense,” you responded, appearing to buy his excuse. “They are family guys. To be honest, they probably shouldn’t be in here as much as they are. I sure wouldn’t like that if I was their wife.”

He didn’t like the way you said that. He really, _really _didn’t like it. The way you insinuated that you even for a _moment_ imagined being in a relationship with one of those humans. To be their wife, the intimate term that humans called their chosen lifelong mates. <strike>He would _never _let you be that to those assholes.</strike> A pretty, kind human like you… you deserved better.

“well, ya know, it’s a good thing you aren’t,” Sans remarked with a grin, purposefully masking his nagging, almost _jealous _thoughts. “but heh, look, it’s just you and me again now.” ..._<strike>don't worry, i'll make sure they don't bother you anymore.</strike>_

He shook his head... before leaning forward and winking.

At this, you giggled. Quite a cute sound if he could remark on it. A subtle blush flared across your cheeks: a look that he just loved.

“Déjà vu, right? Seems like it was just yesterday,” you joked.

…

…

What was the harm in a little flirting? Maybe it would never go anywhere, but the way you reacted… that cute flush on your cheeks, that adorable laugh... he wanted more. _More_. His mind wandered and he wondered what types of reactions you would have to _other _situations. <strike>If he shoved you against the wall and had his way with you right now, what sounds would you make _then_…?</strike>

…

...

Stars, he _really _needed to jack off.

“couldn’t have said it better myself,” Sans responded cheerily, his magic bubbling and simmering as he fantasized. “welp, you’re stuck with me now and i ain't one letcha get _bonely._ howabout you tell me 'bout yourself: you from the area?”

\---

Sans had lingered around that bar probably far longer than what was appropriate, staying until he was forced to leave due to the restaurant closing for the night. But he learned many interesting things about the you as a result – that you in the city in an apartment and bartend full time for extra money right now but are planning to apply for nursing school in the future.

All interesting information that he was more than happy to learn. Despite being a human, you were nice, funny, hardworking...

Something about you… you were just… he didn’t know how to describe it.

He warped home, directly to his room, careful not to wake Papyrus who he was certain was already sleeping given the time of night. Collapsing onto his bed with a sigh, he checked his phone – it was midnight. Normally at this point he would just crash for the night, the plague of insomnia that often controlled others having never being a worry for him... but tonight he just… couldn’t.

The wanting need, the magic welling at his pelvis that had threatened to consume him all night.

That human girl.

_You._

He allowed his magic to take hold of him, his cock easily materializing within his shorts - which he freed from the constricting binds of them and grasped with his hand. He had no doubt that your hands would be softer, winding around him with a delicacy that he had never felt before… _you would start off slow, hesitant, but as time passed, you would get bolder, rubbing it enthusiastically, thumb teasingly rolling across its head._

He continued stroking himself, letting his eyelids droop shut..

_Then, you would bring your soft lips down to it, encircling the head of it and stroking it with your tongue. Eventually, you would take more of him in. Your mouth was small so it was difficult for you, but you would endure for him. _

His movements grew vigorous and he panted softly. Growing closer to release.

_It would get to the point where he wouldn’t be able to take it anymore, tangling his hand into your hair and thrusting down your throat. Your innocent eyes would widen in surprise at first but… you liked it rough, so it was okay. He would continue thrusting into you until… until…_

He grunted as the wave of release hit him, spilling blue, viscous liquid all over his palm. He sighed, sitting up and rubbing the offending hand on the side of the bed. He would wash the sheets later. He was hopeful since now he had gotten it out of his system, that this human girl would stop plaguing his thoughts.

... Unfortunately, he was wrong. He tossed and turned, unable to banish you from his mind. Couldn’t even do his favorite pastime – sleeping, because of _you_. What was _wrong _with him?

... He _wanted _more... he _needed _more.

Kicking himself out of bed, he dragged himself to his computer, turning it on and practically breaking the keyboard as he jammed in the URL to Facebook before searching your name. He didn’t know your last name yet but somehow, he would find you. He knew you were on Facebook; he saw the app open on your phone the first night he met you.

Unfortunately, the search brought up pages of profiles. The lazy side of him being uninterested in sifting through a million profiles, he instead searched the name of the restaurant you worked at. And luckily for him, not only did the restaurant pop up as the first result, but a person with your name was listed as one of the employees.

There was no doubt about it, it was you; he easily recognized your bright smile in the profile picture.

Clicking on your profile, he was delighted when he found that seemingly none of it was private. Pictures, personal information, your friends list… it was all open for him to view at his leisure.

You didn’t seem to have that many friends on Facebook… <strike>he liked that</strike>… but you appeared to post quite often. Frequently posting photos, checking in when you were at work, the gym, and other places.

Sans knew very little about gyms. He knew that humans went to them sometimes… but he didn’t understand the point of it all. Why would someone purposefully be more active than they had to be? But… you… he wondered how you would look at the gym… clad in tight clothing, your body slicked in sweat… it would be an amazing thought if it wasn’t ruined by the fact that _others _could also see you in that state. <strike>He would gouge their eyes out if he could.  
</strike>

He continued his investigation of your profile, sifting through your photos – even those that were years old, more than happy with what he saw. He unashamedly saved all of them to his computer, including the ones where you were with other people, deducing that he would crop the extras out later.

A part of him felt guilty for doing this but really, there was nothing wrong with it. Your profile was public; your pictures open for anyone and everyone to view. If you didn’t want others saving them, then you should have made it private.

Moving on to check your personnel information, he felt his soul thump when he saw what he was subconsciously hoping for… you were single.

And he paused.

…

…

Why…?

Why was he doing this? Why was he feeling this way? For a human, no less?

Stars, he’d barely even known you for two days and yet…

... Each time he thought of you… thought of _being _with you… his soul would swell and his skull would throb just a little less… when he had touched you last night, he had felt as though his magic might explode.

…

…

Deep down… he knew what this meant…

A part of him didn’t want to accept it, but he knew...

_**soulmate…** _

His soulmate… was a human. His soulmate was you. There was no other explanation for the sudden feelings; for the way his soul throbbed when he touched you. It matched every description that he had read in monster biology books.

…

What cruel irony for him… the monster that disliked humans getting stuck with a human soulmate. Was this karma for him for what he had done to humans in the past?

... You didn’t seem as bad as the other humans though… maybe he wouldn’t mind being with you… bonding with you… maybe…

But no… right now his family took priority. _Papyrus _took priority. Sans knew that he had to make decisions that were best for him and his brother; he couldn’t be fixated on the pursuit of a soulmate.

…

…

But Sans didn’t want to give up…

All those years in the underground, hopeful that his soulmate would eventually appear to him… between the universe constantly resetting and then the seemingly never-ending famine, it had been so long that he had given up. He had thought that he was one of those unlucky monsters whose soul resonated with no one… that he had no soulmate in existence.

He had all but forgotten about it… until now.

It was only now that he realized the reason he had never found his soulmate in the underground was because you were on the surface all along.

…

…

He couldn’t just give that up, now that he had found you.

He couldn’t just ignore it.

…

He wondered… did you feel it too? You seemed to like him - why would you give him free food if you didn't? … But humans have always traditionally been disconnected from their souls. How would he even approach you with something like this?

Perhaps an old fashioned, human-like approach would be best but… he didn’t know if you would be open to dating monsters at all.

Sans had read in old history books that, before the barrier had been placed originally, monster-human relations were rare but not unheard of. The different lifespans, physiologies, and connections to ones soul made it difficult… but not impossible.

...

... <strike>But why would you - a pretty and kind human, be with a horrible and decrepit monster like him?</strike>

<strike>Once you found out what he’d done… you’d never want anything to do with him</strike>…

...

No… no…

Sans could be a good mate.

He could make you happy if you let him, he definitely could! With him, you would never have to worry financially; you could just come live in his house with Paps and him… their house was plenty big for the three of them. He could provide for you so you wouldn’t have to work at that horrible restaurant anymore, where random men stared at you.

…

How could he not be a good choice of a mate for you?

Sans decided that he would step up his game.


	3. Mask

_He’s here again…_

... Not that this was that big of a deal. In fact, you were quite happy to see him. The skeleton monster, Sans. <strike>Your easy nightly paycheck.</strike> In no time at all, he became a regular... in that every night since the first day you met him, he had visited the restaurant.

Regular customers were your favorite. Not only did you get to avoid the variables of meeting someone new, but the fun ones made your shift go by faster and often tipped the best. Sans was no exception to this either, easily being one of your most generous tippers. Which was good for you because your other two good tippers, Steve and Carlos, stopped coming in last week much to your disappointment… maybe they were just on vacation?

Regularity in general appeared to be a thing of Sans’. He always came in at the same time - presumably after his work shift, and stayed until closing, always sitting in the exact same spot – the one closest to where you stood to mix drinks, and he always ordered the same thing.

“sup,” he greeted, casually taking a seat on the same stool as usual and shooting you a wide, toothy grin.

“Hi Sans! The usual?” You returned his grin with a warm one of your own.

He winked, his visible red eye dancing like wildfire. “you got it. sweet of you to remember.”

“Food should be ready soon,” you said, having already entered his food order into the computer before turning to grab his usual beer from the fridge.

When you outstretched your arm to set it next to him, his own skeletal hand darted towards you, grabbing the beverage and allowing his bony fingers to smooth over yours. His coarse bones prickled at your skin, bringing a shiver to your body. And if you didn’t know any better, you could have sworn that he did that deliberately.

“thanks.”

... He had been doing that over the past week… growing bolder in his mannerisms, sneaking in touches. Such things did not go unnoticed by you.

Flirting wasn’t necessarily an uncommon occurrence for you at this job. Customers flirted with both you and your female coworkers often; alcohol tended to have that effect on people. Often it wasn’t the regulars though, just the boisterous college-aged guys searching for a quick roll in bed for the night. And you had never had a monster flirt with you… except for Aaron that is, but he flirted with anything and everything that moved so it didn’t count.

It was all harmless, no one had ever taken it far enough to where it made you uncomfortable. As such, you never thought too much of it. Sometimes you took it as a compliment and ever since you became single again you would even shamelessly flirt back on occasion; especially if it seemed like it would net you a better tip because why not?

... But actually dating one of them? Nope, that would never happen. No matter how cute and charming a patron might be, they didn’t know the _real _you. Only the mask that you wore while you were at work.

You presumed that the majority of your customers would be disappointed if they knew what you were really like.

Sans, however… was he flirting? He was a monster, so you just assumed that he wasn’t. Monsters weren’t usually attracted to humans, right? They were different species after all. But with Sans… sometimes it really seemed like he was hitting on you.

At the same time though, Sans would jump between being serious and sarcastic and just all out joking so often and so quickly that it was, quite frankly, too difficult to tell.

You typically just chalked it up to him joking. He really seemed to enjoy his ridiculous jokes.

Soon after Sans arrived, one of the waitresses dropped off a drink order that requested two cosmos for some customers sitting at a booth. Grabbing the order slip, you got to work. You poured the vodka, cranberry juice, and lime juice into the mixer, scrunching your nose as the scent of hard liquor hit you.

“so, uh, you weren’t here yesterday? or the day before?” Sans broke the silence.

You blinked, taken aback by the somewhat odd question, but answered nonetheless, looking over your shoulder at him and as you shook the liquid-filled mixer. “Yeah, I have Sundays and Mondays off. Stuck here every other day though.”

“figured.” He shrugged. “least it’s consistent right? or do your shifts change often?”

“Nah, it’s pretty consistent. Amy only bartends when I’m not here, on the slower days. On other days she does waitressing duties,” you said, pouring the now mixed vodka concoction into two separate glasses and garnishing each of them with an orange slice. “But sometimes I’ll swap a day with her or cover for her if she needs the day off.”

Sans nodded at you, his blown-out red eye flickering and making him appear as though he was in deep thought. The bony fingers curled around his beer and tapped the glass of the beverage lightly… _clink… clink… clink… _

“What’s wrong?” you teased as you set the two cosmos at the edge of the bar for the waitress to retrieve. “Did you miss me?”

He perma-grin seemed to widen and he returned your joking tone without missing a beat, “heh, the other girl was great and all, but not nearly as great as you.”

“I’m flattered,” you replied, unable to hide the light blush that tickled your face at the compliment.

Okay, it definitely seemed like he was flirting right there. But again, he said it with such a joking, sarcastic tone that you just couldn’t tell. Did he mean it that way or not?

You ended up deciding that it was nothing and that you probably read into it more than you needed to.

“hey, check this out.”

Sans held out his hand and pointed a single bony finger at the ceiling. A light blue aura cascaded around his phalanges before a cyan bone-like object materialized out of thin air, levitating just inches above his finger.

“cool, right?” he boasted, a cocky grin adorning his skeletal face as he twirled the blue bone effortlessly between his fingers.

He had been doing that a lot too. In fact, every day since the third day he’s come in, he’s shown you a magic trick of his.

The first time he displayed a feat of psychokinesis, surrounding a ketchup bottle in a blue aura and lifting it off the table.

The second time he told you that he could lift heavier things, even offering to lift _you_ with it. You had declined this, at which he had just shrugged and levitated a bar stool instead.

The third time he sprouted a pillar of dirtied bones from the palm of his hand, bragging that they could get even bigger before making them disappear.

This wasn’t anything new to you as you knew monsters could use magic, but his magic was no doubt interesting. Whenever he summoned it, his left eye would swirl with a vibrant whirlpool of blue and yellow, mixing with the typical red. Sometimes it became so intense that it would spark out of the crack in his skull. It almost reminded you of a sorcerer from one of your fantasy novels.

But… although interesting, you found these displays to be a little over the top. Why was he even bothering?

Nonetheless, you indulged him.

“Can I touch it?”

Your hand twitched as it inched towards the summoned bone.

However, he pulled it back just before your fingertips made contact with it. “wouldn’t recommend it,” he cautioned and with a snap of his fingers, the bone disappeared into thin air. “might be harmful to your health if ya move too much.”

“Ah…” you said warily, unsure what to think of his rather cryptic comment. “Well, your food is probably ready now. I’m gonna go check, okay? Be right back.” You shot him a reassuring smile before rushing to the kitchen.

You barely made it around the corner before you felt your phone buzz in your pocket. Huh, who could that be? It was seldom for you to get text messages anymore and when you did, you were terrible at responding... maybe that's why you never got them. Even your oldest friend had stopped texting you as much as she used to...

You leaned against the wall near the kitchen window and pulled out your phone to check.

_‘Facebook: Sans is requesting to be your friend.’_

You frowned. You had never had a customer from work find you on Facebook before. In the past, there were a few that claimed they would - typically those college guys that would drunkenly flirt with you… but they never actually followed through. You presumed that once they sobered up, they came to their senses and lost interest.

Did you even want one of these people on your Facebook?

You supposed it didn’t matter; it’s not like you had any private information on there. But still, it seemed so… personal. It shattered the mask you wore at work and allowed people you should be purely professional with to see into your everyday life.

Perhaps if it was a customer you knew well, it would be okay… but Sans? Despite his creepy appearance, he seemed like a decent guy… but you’d barely known him for two weeks... not to mention how strange he’s been acting towards you…

You unlocked your phone and hovered your thumb over the decline button.

_It might hurt his feelings though… then I’ll lose him as a customer and there go my tips…_

“Hey, how long you gonna stand there? I have that order you requested right here,” Brian broke the silence, peeking his head out of the kitchen window and pointing to the finished order. "... Never took you as one to slack off at work."

You jumped, eyes darting from your phone to your coworker.

“Oh… sorry, just a little distracted.”

Deciding that it wasn’t a big deal… you accepted Sans’ friend request before grabbing the food order and resuming your work.

—————————-

“so, you’re tryin’ to be a nurse huh?”

Another day, another dollar. Another day and of course Sans was here again, seemingly trying to keep a conversation going as you went about your usual routine at work. It was a little bit… annoying? You were trying to do your job, yet he just wouldn’t leave you alone.

But you did what you could to keep him happy. “Yep! You remembered? What a compliment, I feel so important,” you responded with a lilt of sarcasm. _Just keep that mask on_.

He shot you a devilish look, red hue glinting under the dim lighting of the bar. “must've taken a few science classes then, yea?”

“Here and there yeah.” Nursing school had its fair share of science prerequisites, which you were slowly trudging along with taking whenever you had enough money to sign up for classes. “Took a chemistry class last year at the community college and uh… physics as well. Always liked chemistry, physics not so much.”

“so, a neutron walks into a bar and orders a drink. when the neutron gets his drink, he asks the bartender how much he owes,” Sans said without missing a beat, a cocky grin plastered on his face. “the bartender replies, ‘for you, neutron, no charge.’”

You stared at him cryptically… then realization dawned on you. You scoffed, smacking a hand to your forehead. “Seriously? That’s terrible.”

Sans looked rather pleased with himself, chuckling and clinking his claws against his drink, shooting you a sly wink.

“Okay, fine. Science jokes, huh? I got one for you…” You wracked your brain for one of the chemistry-related jokes you had seen on that Facebook joke page you followed. “How should chemistry be studied?”

“heh, i dunno, how should it?”

You leaned in close to him before saying in an exaggerated whisper, “Periodically.”

Sans cackled at this and you stood back up, puffing your chest out proudly. “what did the sodium say to the chloride?” he shot back, his crimson light dancing.

You heaved a sigh, preparing yourself for the worst. “I don’t know. What?”

“i’ve got my _ion _on you,” he finished with a snicker, lifting a clawed finger to point to his own blood-red eye.

You huffed out a laugh. That one actually wasn’t bad.

“Okay, fine, you got me on that one,” you conceded, unsure at what you thought about the smug look that rose to Sans’ face at your admittance. “But I know another science joke...”

“oh really?”

“Yeah, it’s on the tip of my _Tungsten_.”

“heheh.” Sans shifted before leaning over the bar towards you. “girl, are you a carbon sample? cause i’d love to _date you_.”

_Oh..._

Blood rushed to your face and you tore your gaze from his, forcing out an awkward chuckle. He’s just joking, right...?

... But the way he was staring at you, seeming eager for a response… it made you think that maybe he wasn’t.

_Well, shit. _

If you were right… if it wasn't just a joke…

You would have to figure out a way to let him down gently.

There was only one person you were interested in right now, and it wasn’t Sans.

You bit your lip and took a deep breath, offering him a small smile. A smile that his pupils instantly darted to, fervent desire swimming in his gaze.

“That’s a good one…” you mumbled.

And… his face _dropped_. He stared down at his empty plate, a single skeletal hand dropping to the table and picking at a piece of dried food stuck on the wood. A disappointed “yeah,” was his only response.

_Oh._

You didn’t realize…

…

Based on his expression… he seemed pretty serious about this. A far cry from the flippant way previous customers had hit on you.

Now you felt bad for being so receptive to his earlier comments that you suspected were flirting.

_You’re just a greedy bitch, aren’t you? Leading your customers on for tips, _your brain guilted you._  
_

Your stomach clenched, churning with shame and if you could melt into the ground and disappear in this moment, you would. You wracked your brain for something, _anything _to say to make the situation less awkward, to make him feel better, but nothing came to mind.

Gaze cast anywhere but Sans, you breathed a sigh of relief when you noticed your coworker approach the bar. “Hey, mind making five margaritas for table six? three limes and two strawberries please, all on rocks,” the waitress regurgitated the request quickly, sliding a drink order slip to you before mouthing a ‘thanks’ and rushing off. 

You wasted no time in busying yourself with the order, wincing slightly as you bumped your hip against the counter in your careless rush to your station; but that was the least of your concerns right now.

Sans was quiet for a long time. So quiet, that you thought that maybe he had left – you were too ashamed to look behind you to check. You nearly jumped out of your skin when he broke the silence. “so... what type of car do ya drive?” His voice was intent, serious… almost _unnerving_… far from his usual casual tone.

Looking over your shoulder, you shot him a confused look at the very odd and sudden question. You weren’t certain you had heard him right.

…

Why was he staring at you like that…?

“Say again?”

“what type of car do you drive?” he clarified, voice dropping back to its typical, relaxed tone, “i don’t got a car yet, but my bro… he really wants one. we’re trying to decide what to get.”

“Ohhh.” You were relieved to hear him reverting to his usual self. Maybe he didn’t mean anything by what he said earlier after all… “Well, I don’t actually have a car. I live in the city and my apartment doesn’t have parking, so it’s tough. Would cost more to own one than it’s worth, so usually I just walk or bus. But,” you continued, dunking the edges of one of the drink glasses in sugar before filling it with the mixed drink as you spoke. “You could check out some of the dealerships in the area. There’s one for nearly every brand of car in this city.”

Sans hummed, clicking his claws against the table… _tap… tap… tap… _and his voice shifted, growing as biting as dry ice, “didn’t think any buses ran at this time of night.”

You frowned. “I…”

But he interrupted you, that crimson eye constricting. “how do you get home then?”

You wet your lips as a sudden dryness licked at your mouth. “Um.. that’s -um… I’d rather not say… sorry…”

Why would he ask you a question like that…? How was that any of his business?

Sans’ gaze darkened, red hue nearly disappearing into a sea of black. “if the buses don’t run... your only option is to walk...”

His voice sent a shiver up your spine and you swallowed the lump that had formed in your throat.

“I… yes, I suppose it is…” 

“why would you do that?” Sans accused, concern lacing his words and bony brows creasing. “the city's an awful place... it’s not safe.”

“… It’s not as bad is you think. This section of the city is low in crime,” you assured, hands tightening on the mixer as you shook it and knuckles going white. “I’ve been doing this every day for two years, and nothing has ever happened. I appreciate your concern, but there’s nothing to worry about.”

He stared at you as though he thought you were some naive idiot and repeated, “you shouldn’t do that… it isn’t safe.”

Aggravation ground at your insides. Who was he to question what you did? He didn’t even _know _you.

But you kept your cool.

_Remember, the customer is always right, _you reminded yourself.

_… Yeah, actually no, that’s a load of shit._

“Really, it’s fine,” you reassured, hoping to lighten the mood. “I always carry my taser with me just in case.”

“no…no…” he murmured, pupils discordant, phalanges winding around his socket and tugging. “you shouldn’t… someone could…”

The mask fell.

“_Sans,_ I said it’s fine,” you snapped, “Please don’t concern yourself with me.”

Perhaps it was unprofessional to speak to a customer like that. _Perhaps _you should have just sucked it up and humored him. But you… you could only keep up your workplace façade for so long.

“Good luck with your car search,” you finished, once again turning away from him.

And just like that, the discussion ended.

But it didn’t stop Sans from lingering at the bar until your shift ended. 

\---

One hour after the restaurant had closed to the public, you were finally leaving for the night; having finished your nightly cleaning, counting your cash tray and tips, and restocking. It was midnight now. The cool air was brisk and chill on your skin as you stepped out into the night, a soft wind whistling through the alleyway and rustling your hair. Summer was ending, and it was starting to get cold at night again as it descended into Fall.

Hooking up your headphones to your phone, shoving the buds into your ears and launching a music app, you continued on your way home, tucking your hands into your pockets as you crossed the street and strolled along the sidewalk. Your small black purse swung loosely by your side with each stride you made.

You didn’t live far from your apartment; it was ten blocks away at most. Sure, you would feel safer taking the bus... but unfortunately, Sans was right… there were no buses that ran this route at this time of night. You were stuck walking or begging a coworker for a ride. And not wanting to impose on your coworkers, you opted to walk. It was fine. Despite every horror movie you had ever seen saying otherwise, it was fine. You lived so close that there was no way anything could happen in that short of a time… right?

_‘the city's an awful place. it’s not safe.’ _

Sans’ words echoed through your mind, his concern-filled face manifesting in your thoughts.

_‘you shouldn’t… someone could…’_

You shook your head, rolling your fingers along your phone to turn up the volume of your music and increasing your pace. What did _he_ know? You could handle yourself. Out of all the people that had told you not to walk home alone at night, he - a customer you had known for less than two weeks, definitely had the _least _right to demand that you stop.

Banishing the frustrating thoughts from your mind, you continued on your way, reaching the one block that had zero street lights and was only vaguely illuminated by the luminescent light of the full moon in the clear night sky. And you couldn't resist the temptation to peek down the dark alleyway as you passed it; the pitch black looked akin to an evil void threatening to swallow you. Your muscles stiffened, a pang of paranoia cascading through your body; but you ignored it.

What you should really be thinking about right now is what you were going make to eat before bed. You always loved to relax on your bed with a book and a snack before bedtime after your work shifts. Let’s see… you had some leftover quinoa, but a part of you felt in the mood for a tuna sandwich… or maybe a pop-tart. Wait, no, you couldn’t eat a pop-tart… you had to keep up your figure if you wanted to impress _him_. It would probably have to be-

You were startled out of your thoughts when you felt a humid warmth tickle your neck and cascade down your partially exposed shoulder. You jumped, a slight gasp escaping your lips. Whipping around and yanking your buds out of your ears, you came face to face with… nothing.

Nobody was there, nothing was there. Just the dark, empty street yawning ominously into the even darker alleyway, dim streetlights flickering a block down and the constant sound of city traffic bustling in the distance.

You brought a hesitant hand to your neck as goosebumps began to form, before taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm yourself. You swore it felt like someone had _breathed _on you.

But there was no one there… so it couldn’t be. You would have seen them …right?

Did you just imagine it…? Was it just the wind…?

Grabbing your taser out of your purse and jamming it into your coat pocket, you gave one more cautious look to the dark stretch behind you before resuming the trek to your apartment. You opted to keep your headphones out of your ears, wrapping the string around your neck. The buds swung against your collarbone as you walked.

Not but a minute later, you heard subtle yet heavy and consistent clunks against the sidewalk behind you. Were those… footsteps? Your breath hitched and you again whipped around only to again find… nothing.

Your heart felt like it was beating through your chest and out of your throat, your palms growing clammy. Reaching into your pocket, you wrapped your hand around the taser before swallowing. “Hello?” you called out into the dimly lit expanse, hating how meek your voice sounded. “Is someone there?” You looked around, scanning every nook and cranny that was within vision. There was no one. “If this is a joke it isn’t f-funny!”

You continued your staring contest with the sidewalk, looking for _any _sign of movement; any sign that someone was there. The clawing anxiety and grinding fear in the pit of your stomach was threatening to spill over any minute, screaming at you to _run_. But you refused to give into whatever kind of sick… prank this was. Steeling yourself and straightening your posture, you once more turned and continued on your way with a quickened pace.

Only five more blocks and then you would be home.

You crossed the street over to the next block, peering cautiously at the single flickering street light that enveloped the area. The city still had yet to fix that light and, in this moment, you wished that you had complained about it previously… this particular dancing light that would randomly turn on and off at times only added to the eeriness of your current situation. Your chest rapidly rose and fell with your heavy breaths, a cold sweat starting to slick your back.

The street light shut off, leaving the zone in darkness and you heard a clatter in the distance. Your body seized to a halt and the hair on the back of your neck stood up. Whirling around, your eyes settled on an empty soda can that came rolling out of the alleyway, across the sidewalk, and falling with an echoing clank onto the road.

Grip on the taser tightening to the point of your knuckles going white, you drew it out of your pocket and brandished it in front of you; ready to defend yourself. “I-I have a weapon!” you threatened in the most menacing voice you could muster, but it came out more like a mousy squeak. “Don’t come near me or I’ll use it!”

You took a cautious step back… then one more… the street light flickered and you saw the shadow of a large man near the alley before it went dark again. Fear overcame you. The taser slipped from your hand in your startle and clattered against the ground, but you weren’t about ready to stop and pick it up.

You turned on your heel and ran the rest of the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3


	4. Sans: Patience

-

When Sans was a young monster, he always had a clear idea of what his soulmate would be like. She would be beautiful of course, but she would also have a smart, sensible head on her shoulders… a good sense of humor… be morally sound and kind… the perfect mate for him. And he? He would be her protector; her knight in shining armor.

Of course, that was the young, teenage him... and over the years his interest dwindled, pessimism mounted and that fantasy became just that – a fantasy. It became something _foolish _to expect; cringeworthy, in fact. Some monsters were lucky enough to meet their soulmate shortly after maturity… and then there were monsters like him…

But now… he found you.

You were… not necessarily what he expected; mostly because you were human. But you were perfect in your own way. Perfect for him.

... However, he never expected that you would be so _stupid_.

He observed you from the alleyway, watching as the object in your hand clattered to the ground before you turned tail and ran.

Sans stepped out of the narrow corridor, a smirk etched onto his face. His darkened red eye blazed back to life as he watched your form disappear into the dark expanse of the street. Approaching the abandoned object, he picked it up.

A taser? That was your weapon?

Well... it’s not like you would need it anymore - you had _him_ now. He shrugged and pocketed it, figuring he’d get rid of it later.

He felt a little bad for frightening you… but… he had accomplished his goal, which was to scare the shit out of you so that you would never do something as foolish as walk home alone in the middle of the night again. Since apparently you had no survival instincts whatsoever, he needed to teach you that lesson for your own good.

But another part of him couldn’t help but feel a rush of fleeting exhilaration from the feat… like he was back in the Underground, where he could toy with any human unlucky enough to wander into Snowdin with no need to restrain his compulsions. _Humans _deserved that.

<strike>There was something he really liked about that look of raw **fear** that swam in your eyes. </strike>

It would have been so easy for him to sneak up on you… drag you into the pitch-dark alleyway by your hair. No one would have been around to see it; no one would have been able to help you.

…

If he could accomplish that so easily… then someone else could too. He just wanted to protect you.

He would never let _anyone_ hurt you. No one had that right… <strike>except for him.</strike>

His precious soulmate. His sweetheart.

He had been trying so hard to preen himself up in front of you… he even tried to drop a hint to you earlier this evening, but his advance was rebuffed…

But you just didn’t know what you wanted yet… it’s okay, he would help you with that.

Sans had always been… charming. He could be good to you… make you happy… he just had to _prove that _to you.

Patience.

…

He needed to know more about you. He was certain that if he could figure out the intricacies of your life, that he could use that knowledge to impress you… show you that he could be your ideal mate…

It was his _right_ to know more about you.

His red hue constricted as he pictured the backstreet a few blocks down in his mind. _she couldn’t have gotten far_.

The dim surroundings of the street grew fainter and then disappeared as he passed through the abyssal nothingness of the void before re-emerging in an almost equally dark alley, the dull illumination of crimson coating the dark brick. He shoved his hands into his coat pockets before looking towards the direction he suspected you had gone.

It was a shot in the dark, as he had lost sight of you when you ran. But based on your previous descriptions of where you lived, he had his suspicions that this was correct. And even if he was wrong tonight… it was okay! He would have other opportunities.

His future mate would never be walking home alone again.

Granted, it was a lot of work to follow you around like this but... he had an obligation as your soulmate to protect you.

Hopefully you would make it easy for him.

Much to his delight, not but a moment later he spotted your sprinting form dash past the side street. Your small footsteps echoed through the streets, black purse swinging wildly at your side and your self-awareness apparently gone in your panic. You didn't seem to notice his presence.

A grin rose to his face, a small part of him pleased at the hysteria he had invoked in you; the control he had over you. He rarely had control over things. It felt good.

He stepped out of the alley and stalked behind you, finding that you ran so fast that he was forced to teleport to keep up. 

But he didn't have to follow for long before your sprint slowed and came to a halt at the entrance of a cheap-looking apartment complex. You tore open the door, forcing it to bash loudly against the side of the building, before dashing inside.

Sans crossed the street adjacent to the complex and peered up at the building. It was at least five stories tall, tiny unit stacked on top of tiny unit. The aged wood that held up the building was painted a spotty, dirtied white, clearly well past the due date for a new coat. Each unit had a single small window, covered by curtains that just barely obscured his view from seeing inside.

…

What a shithole of a place. Surely you would be much happier and safer if you were to live with him and Papyrus in the country.

Sans rationalized to himself that it was good that he had figured out where you live. In fact, it was probably best that he knew which specific unit was yours… that way he would always know where you were... so he could better protect you, keep you safe. <strike>Make sure you never left his sight.</strike>

Unfortunately, he couldn't see which unit you had entered, lest he follow you inside and risk being spotted. You wouldn’t understand if you were to catch him following you now. But that was okay... things such as this required tact; he had to take it slow… baby steps. The most important thing was that you had made it home safely with his assistance.

Patience…

\--------

It took every ounce of willpower for Sans to return home that evening. The temptation to stay out all night watching your apartment was strong; an intense pull at his soul that refused to let up. The second he stepped out of the void and into the familiar space of his room, he found himself wanting to warp right back.

Because… the longer he watched your apartment, the more he realized… you weren’t safe there either.

What if someone broke in and hurt you? He couldn’t let that happen.

What did you did when you get home anyways? Did you sleep right away? Eat? Shower? He _needed_ to know.

…

You looked so sexy tonight your little work outfit.

He bet you would look even more alluring in bed, wearing a thin nightgown with no underclothes. The tight material clinging to your form and emphasizing every delicate, soft curve you had.

Asleep, unaware, vulnerable… _his _little human.

Sans shivered as he allowed his imagination to run wild, the hot rush of magic pooling at his pelvis. He stumbled to bed, hand trailing down to fumble with the belt of his pants - all too eager to release the growing warmth within. He almost got it…

“SANS!”

He was jolted from his thoughts at the all too familiar voice, shooting up from his bed and quickly righting his pants.

“SANS!” The voice came again and a booming knock rattled the door.

Sans groaned, standing and forcing his welling magic away - the obnoxiously loud voice of his brother making that more than an easy task. Talk about a boner killer…

“I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE, I HEARD YOU MAKING A RUCKUS. DO NOT PRETEND YOU CANNOT HEAR ME!”

Opening up the door, Sans came face to face with a rather annoyed looking Papyrus, him dressed head to toe in silky red pajamas topped off with a red nightcap covering his skull.

“yea bro, I hear ya,” Sans greeted, bringing a bony finger up to rub the rough ridges of his cervical vertebrae as a sheepish grin rose to his face. “what’s up?”

“YOU KNOW ‘WHAT’S UP’! IT’S ONE IN THE MORNING AND I HEAR YOU STOMPING AROUND IN HERE!” Papyrus exclaimed, “HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BE RESTED ENOUGH TO JOIN THE HUMAN POLICE FORCE IF YOU KEEP PLAGUING ME WITH ALL THIS INCIDENTAL NOISE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING IN HERE?”

“whoa, sorry paps, didn’t know I was keeping ya up,” Sans deferred, “why don’t you, uh, just go back to bed and i’ll be quieter?”

“YOU DIDN’T ANSWER MY QUESTION!” Papyrus huffed, stomping a heavy foot on the ground. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU STILL AWAKE? ARE YOU FEELING OKAY?”

“just been hanging out at a new bar after work, don’t worry about it.” Sans brushed off the taller skeleton’s concern with a wave of his hand.

“UGH, ANOTHER BAR? LAZY AS TYPICAL I SEE, DOING NOTHING BUT LOUNGING AROUND, DRINKING AND EATING GREASY FOOD FOR HOURS ON END,” Papyrus criticized before boisterously gesturing to himself. “AT LEAST SOMEONE IN THIS HOUSEHOLD IS SETTING GOALS IN LIFE.”

“you’re right, guess you could say that i don’t got the _guts _for it,” Sans antagonized, grinning.

“NYEH!! UNBELIEVABLE!” Papyrus groaned.

Sans shrugged. “i see you smiling.”

“I AM NOT! THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!” Papyrus exhaled an indignant huff, but failed to hide his grin. “IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN RIDICULOUS JOKES TO MAKE THE GREAT PAPYRUS LAUGH! GO TO BED SANS, WE HAVE WORK TO DO TOMORROW! AND CLEAN YOUR ROOM, IT’S FILTHY.”

Papyrus glanced into the room with disgust before turning on his heel and stomping away.

“sure bro,” Sans said in his wake, cackling and shutting the door.

Welp, there was no chance he was going to go back to what he was doing before after all that. Oh well…

He skulked back to his bed and fell onto it, wracking a sigh and trying to ignore the way his head throbbed. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Papyrus had been trying so hard ever since they had reached the surface, it almost reminded Sans of the old days in the Underground when his one goal in life was to join the Royal Guard. He had returned to his ways of constant training and puzzle fabrication, intent on becoming an officer of the city police department.

This wasn’t entirely out of reach, as the police department had been fairly open-minded in hiring monsters due to the unique magical abilities they possessed... but Papyrus was… well… he just wasn’t cut out for it. However, the department kindly took on his brother as a ‘volunteer’ officer… although all he did was community service. At least it was something.

It made Papyrus happy.

Hopefully they never found out that Papyrus used to cook humans into his spaghetti during the famine. That would ruin a lot of things.

…

Would Papyrus like you?

Of course, Papyrus liked everybody, but when you and Sans became a couple would Papyrus be happy to have you around? Sans desperately hoped so. He would hate to be forced to choose between his brother and his soulmate.

_my sweetheart_…

Even at just the thought of you, his soul throbbed. He _needed _you here with him. Despite the earlier turn off in the form of his brother, his crotch once again surged with magic and it was a battle not to teleport back to your apartment and show you all that he could do right now. Hehe, he had no doubt that he could make you _real _happy.

A soft growl reverberated through his core as he released his physically manifested magic from his shorts, skull pounding in the wake of his desperate, unfulfilled desire. He wanted you so badly… he wanted to bury himself deep within you: feel your warmth, your curves, your softness in all the ways he had fantasized about.

But he had to be _patient_…

-——————-

Heavy breaths escaped Sans as he strolled into the restaurant you called your workplace the next day. His bones rattled in anticipation, soul bouncing in his ribcage like a frantic bird. And then he saw you…

And his soul _swelled. _

He had been away from you for far too long…

You greeted him as usual, that smile of yours adorable as he had come to expect… but he couldn’t help but notice that it appeared a bit tentative… _forced_…

You moved about the bar with a stiffness that was a contrast to your usual pep, mouth rigid and clenched, pupils dilated. You would rub your hands together when they weren’t occupied, bite your nails when you weren’t speaking.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he was the cause.

It filled him with a strange delight. _The control. _

He lingered until the bar closed, warping outside and laying in wait within the darkness of the alley. Midnight… you got off at midnight…

And like clockwork, when midnight came around, he spotted your familiar form exiting the building. A shiver wracked your body as you shrugged on your jacket, whisps of condensed vapor escaping your mouth with each breath. Sans had to restrain himself from approaching you to offer his own coat.

But he remained hidden, magic spurring to force the intimidating red of his blown-out eye away. Pain ripped across his skull, but he persisted.

The sounds of your footsteps echoed through the parking lot… _tap, tap, tap… _your pace was hurried and steps light, shoulders slouched and body tense.

He stepped out of the shadows and followed behind you. Again, you were walking home alone… _stupid human… _

But that's okay, he was there for you.

His pupils trailed down your back and rested on your hindquarters… you looked so soft and… _delicious. _

You wound your fingers together before rubbing your palms against your pants. A shudder reverberated down your body and you increased your pace.

Sans kept speed with you, daring to inch closer…

The vapor that wafted from your mouth stopped and you whipped around. Sans teleported away, ducking into the nearby alley. You were motionless aside from the trembles that assaulted your body and the way your eyes darted around. A pause... and then you let out a heaving breath, a large puff of visible air escaping your lips...

... And then you bit your lip and turned around, continuing on your way; speed steadily increasing until you began to jog. And Sans? He never let you leave his sight.

-——————-

** **

The following day Sans returned to see you, a small box stowed safely in his pocket. He ran his fingers over the faux leather, double-checking that it was still there as he took his usual seat at the bar.

“Hey Sans,” you greeted, hands fidgeting together. “Your usual order?”

And again, his soul throbbed. He winked at you. “you know it.”

Your discomfort permeated the air, eyes gazing a thousand-yard stare as you turned away from him and crouched down to grab his usual drink. But Sans paid no mind to this. His pupils wandered, settling on the crook of your neck… _fragile_…

_His _mate.

He imagined biting down, rich crimson blooming from your neck as he seared his magic into your skin. The imaginary, delectable taste of copper lingered on his tongue... but fantasies were nothing like the real thing.

Won’t you let him take care of you? Won’t you let him protect you?

He could make all your problems go away…

He fumbled with the object in his pocket.

Sans had been doing his research and he learned that human mating rituals were nothing like monster mating rituals. They dated, just like monsters, but there were no mating marks, no soul bonding… in fact, very few humans understood that they had souls, believing them to be myths or spiritual analogies as opposed to real, physical manifestations.

Humans… they had other traditions, as Sans had learned.

He would impress you.

As you set the uncapped beer next to him, he withdrew the small box from his pocket. He slid it towards you, and a frown found your face as your gaze settled on it.

“a present,” Sans cooed, “for you… sweetheart.”

“… You don’t need to get me presents Sans,” you whispered as you wiped your hands on your apron. “You… being here is, um, enough.”

His mouth stretched into a wide grin as he eyed the blush that adorned your cheeks. _Adorable_. He wanted nothing more than to grab your hair and pull you in for a kiss. His magic buzzed, materializing his tongue.

“i insist,” Sans urged, flashing you a wink. “because i think today, me-n-u are on the menu.”

Your breath hitched, blush deepening.

“go on… i don’t bite… _hard_, hehe…”

Sans cradled his jaw into his hand as he watched you hesitantly grab the box. His claws scraped against his bones, pupils flickering. Anxious, _anxious_. He inhaled as you drew close to him… _so sweet_, _like honey_...

You bit your lip and opened up the box... and then promptly set it back on the counter before turning away.

“I can’t accept this.”

…

_why?_

Sans stared down at the now opened box, the glinting gold ring protruding from the velvet interior and its single diamond sparkling under the light. It had set him back nearly six grand to buy this for you… three months’ worth of paychecks, that’s what the internet said… but you were worth it. He only had one soulmate after all.

You _had _to accept it. This was what he was supposed to give you, right? To show that he wanted to be your lifelong mate.

“no, no, i got it for _you, _sweetheart… precious…” Sans took a deep breath… “you’re perfect.”

You turned towards him, eye twitching. “Can you please not call me that?”

“which one, sweetheart?” Sans grinned.

“… All of it.”

“hehe, might be tough, but anythin’ for you,” he cooed, winking. He pushed the boxed ring towards you. “c’mon, just try it on.” _just take it. _

“Sans… do you not know what a present like this means?” you questioned, body stiff as a board. “I don’t know if things are different for monsters, but… uh…”

“course’ i know what it means... take it... _c’mon_… you’re really _ringing _out my soul here.”

The color of your face challenged the red shade of his damaged eye in this moment and Sans just _loved _that he had that effect on you.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t,” you admitted, “I’m flattered by the thought though.”

His soul twisted as the words of your rejection stung him, bones tensing and teeth grinding together, head _searing_. _<strike>bite her **right now. **</strike>_But then you smiled at him, kind and sympathetic, and his soul swelled with the same pulsating need that drew him to you in the first place.

He would win you over. He just had to try _harder_.

Patience.

“welp, what can i say, i just saw it and thought of you,” Sans quipped with a shrug, grabbing the ring box and depositing it back into his pocket. “glad i could flatter you just a little at least.”

Silence_…_

But Sans lingered. He watched as you served other customers, the restaurant turning busy during the length of his stay. Digging jealousy clawed at his mind; he didn’t like the way _any of them _looked at you. He wanted to snatch you… teleport away… take you somewhere _safe_…

As the bar calmed, he listened as you complained to your coworker in a hushed voice. Lamenting about your lack of sleep and describing a ‘shadow’ that had followed you home.

You sounded so scared… if only you knew his intentions were purely good…

Maybe he could help?

So, as your shift ended, he waited in the night outside the building, ruby hue pulsating and illuminating the parking lot a vivid red. His breath hitched when he spotted you exiting the restaurant, clad in a black coat. You rubbed your hands together before shoving them into your pockets. But you didn’t begin your journey home as usual and instead loitered in the parking lot.

Sans’ soul thumped. _Stars_… he just wanted to grab you and bring you home.

A grin stretched across his face and he approached you from behind, running a skeletal hand along your shoulder.

A shrill squeak escaped you and you spun around to face him, breaths escaping you in quick pants. Your alarmed features relaxed when you leveled your gaze on him, chest heaving as you took a deep breath. “Oh… it’s just you,” you exhaled, “You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that, you scared me.”

“sorry, sweetheart, didn’t mean it.” Sans chuckled, grin widening. His pupils raked down your shivering body… _so perfect_…

“Why are you here…?” you murmured, gaze darting towards the door of the restaurant as you took a step back from him. “And… I asked you not to call me that… please.”

“must look real strange, huh? me waitin’ for you like this, but i was worried bout’ you,” Sans rumbled, closing the distance you had created with a single step. “heard ya talking to a coworker earlier about being followed home, figured i’d offer to escort you… so you stay safe…”

“I, uh…” you stuttered, shuffling away from him, hands leaving your pockets and rubbing together. “That’s… uh… very sweet of you, but i got it taken care of… you don’t need to concern yourself with me.”

“hehe… don’t see how... sweetheart.” His grin stretched, bones growing tense, crimson hue bouncing and reflecting red off of your skin. You took another step back from him. “... what’s wrong? cat got your tongue?”

The door to the restaurant creaked open.

“Sorry for the wait_, _I’m ready to go now.” There was a male voice that Sans did not recognize and a jangle of keys. “Uh... am I interrupting something?”

The male, tall and blonde, perhaps in his thirties and dressed in slacks and a button-up, stood at the door with car keys clutched in hand. His brows furrowed as he looked Sans over.

“Oh… no, no, everything is good, Cameron,” you sputtered out before rushing to the man’s side.

Pain ruptured through Sans’ skull at the action and his claws scraped at his palms, images of piercing a bone into the human man’s throat and drawing out a gushing spurt of arterial blood invading his mind.

“Sans is one of our regulars… he was just making sure I had a way to get home safe,” you said, casting him a tentative glance.

“Ah, well that’s good to hear,” Cameron said, “It’s great to see monsters enjoying my restaurant, that was one of my goals when I took the place over. Thanks for checking on my employee, but I’ll be taking her home from here.”

“Have a good evening sir,” Cameron finished as he began to stroll towards the lone vehicle in the lot.

Sans remained silent, his tense gaze shifting to you. He found your eyes on him, your fingers winding together as you offered him a small smile. “Have a good night… Sans.”

And you trailed behind Cameron towards the car, Sans glowering at your form as you got inside.

**Who was this guy?**

-—————-

_disgusting place_, Sans thought to himself as he gazed up at the tattered exterior of your apartment complex.

In the day time, it looked even worse.

How could anyone want to live here? How could _you _want to live here? If you just… let him have you, he would make you happier than you could ever imagine. He would shower you in luxuries, give you anything that you could ever want.

_Anything _for his love… his sweetheart… his _soulmate_…

That awful human, Cameron, could _never _give you what he could.

If he could just get you inside of his house, he could show you how _good _it could be…

But… _patience_…

For now, he just needed to keep you safe. And for that, he _had _to know where you lived.

He grasped the fur-lined edges of his hood and yanked it over his skull, tucking his hands into his pockets, and stalked towards the entrance of the complex.

The moment he stepped inside, his nasal cavity was assaulted with a bitter musk. His bones rattled, and he took in a deep breath… _pungent mildew… rancid mold… old smoke… **honey... **_

That redolent, honey-sweet scent… _you… _it was there, masked by malodor, but he would never mistake _your _scent. 

He followed the aroma up the stairs, ascending until he reached the third floor. Doors lined the hallway in an inconsistent pattern, each one decorated with worn green paint and a rusted, gold doorknob. And your essence… it was all over. He couldn’t determine which door was yours.

He loitered in the hallway, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. His soul thumped as your scent filled his being… he could stay here all day and smell you. He imagined you, shivering and clutched up against him, moans spilling from your lips, crimson liquid leaking from your skin as he dug his claws into you… honey mingling with copper…

His magic buzzed at his core.

The creaking of a door opening tore him from his fantasies, and he opened his eyes to see a middle-aged woman exit one of the units. She appeared in a hurry, her dark hair a disheveled mess and clad in messy business attire as she rushed down the hallway towards the stairs.

Sans stepped in front of her, blocking her way.

She stopped short of him, brows narrowing into a glare and lip twitching in disgust. “Excuse me? Can I help you?” 

“hey, sorry to bother ya,” Sans mustered in his friendliest voice, “i own a store down the road and had some stuff to deliver to a resident here… but she forgot to give me her address." Sans told her your name and gave a short description of your appearance before asking, "do you know where she lives?”

“What?” Her eyes squinted and looked him over in scrutiny. “But you don’t have any… you know what? I don’t care, I don’t have time for this. Yeah, I’ve seen that girl, she’s my neighbor, always makes an annoying ruckus when she comes home late at night. Lives in 301.”

“thanks,” he said, shooting her a fake grin as he shuffled out of the way.

“Whatever,” she huffed, rushing past him and racing down the stairs.

Sans stalked down the hallway, the floor creaking under the heaviness of his footsteps, casting his gaze over each door… until he finally spotted it…

_Unit 301._

Your apartment.

He shivered, eagerness rattling through his bones and reverberating down to his soul, crimson dancing off of the dull metal of the doorknob. He lifted a bony hand, trembling as it descended towards the doorknob, translucent blue tendrils of magic encircling his fingertips.

_stop._

His hand hovered over the knob… he wanted to go inside so badly…

But he stopped.

He couldn’t, this wasn’t right. He knew where you lived now, that was his goal, right? He shouldn’t push further… you would invite him inside when you accepted him as your soulmate.

You would… eventually…

He inhaled. And exhaled.

Patience.

He reluctantly yanked his hand away and shoved it into his pocket before warping away.


	5. Excuses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to anyone who has read, left kudos, subscribed, bookmarked, or commented! I really appreciate it! <3 I realize that I started out by updating this story every two days or so, but I'm likely going to go down to a weekly schedule now to allow more time for editing. Hope ya'll enjoy this chapter!

\--

“sweetheart, ya feeling okay? c'mon, talk to me,” Sans urged as he leaned over the bar, drink held casually in hand and red hue constricting.

“Yeah… I’m fine, just a little tired,” you responded while remaining hyper-focused on scrubbing an already near-spotless drinking glass.

You weren’t lying… it was the truth that you were, in fact, very tired. But the reason, well… you didn’t feel like sharing details with Sans. As things were, you didn’t even feel like _speaking _to Sans.

That shadow that followed you…

The first night it had happened… well, you didn’t sleep soundly at all. You had locked every single window and door when you arrived home, kept on every single light, and _still _you imagined seeing that shadow in every corner; _still _you felt the tickle of the hot breath on your neck.

That was three weeks ago.

That first night… you thought maybe it was just a mentally unwell homeless person trying to scare you. Or perhaps you just imagined it, believing that Sans’ comments about the city being unsafe seeded irrational paranoia in your mind. But…

It didn’t stop there.

The next night you walked home again, assuming the first to be a fluke. And again, you heard the thumping sound of footsteps following behind you. Again, you saw the shadow of a man out of the corner of your eye at every turn... yet every time you turned around, there would be no one there. 

You had read the stories; you saw the movies… a woman being followed in the middle of the night never ended well.

With no where else to turn, you went to your coworkers. You sucked up your pride and asked for a ride home at night. Fortunately for you, your boss, Cameron, had no issues with obliging.

But Sans…

As things were now, merely being in the presence of Sans made your skin crawl, disturbing you almost as much as being followed home at night. It had become clear to you that the monster had no awareness of social norms whatsoever. From invading your personal space with an uncanny frequency to gifting you an engagement ring out of the blue.

An engagement ring! Who the fuck does that?!

Your reluctance only seemed to spur him on, whether it be continuing to call you pet names despite you requesting him not to or messaging you _constantly _on Facebook. The messages weren’t vulgar or creepy like some of his comments in person, often just a funny meme or silly joke… but they came at all hours, day or night.

You had confided in your coworkers but they failed to share your worry, instead believing his actions to be funny or ‘romantic’. You complained to Cameron, explained your discomfort, but he reassured you that it was just a passing crush.

And… you agreed - to an extent… Sans didn’t seem like a bad guy deep down, but the mere action of him watching you while you worked made your palms grow sweaty and brought swirls of unease to your gut. Sharp, hellish eye-lights always staring through abyssal sockets... you loathed the fact that your job expected you to just tolerate that until he lost interest.

With everything else going on… you weren’t in the mood to deal with that right now.

_The customer is always right… ugh… _

At least the tips were still good. Your rejection had yet to hinder his generosity.

“well, you let me know if you need anything sweetheart." His claws clicked against the table… _tap, tap, tap.._. “i’m here for you.”

A shiver rolled up your spine at the use of the pet name, but you failed to correct him. No matter how many times you asked him not to use them, he would disregard you and continue to do so anyways. It wasn’t worth wasting breath on.

_Smile and be nice._

_Smile and be nice._

“Thanks, but I really am okay. Please don’t worry about me,” you regurgitated, a fake smile rising to your lips. “I’m gonna go see if your food is ready.”

You sped out of the bar, exhaling a sigh of relief when you finally escaped the ever-watchful gaze of Sans. Slumping against the wall, you closed your eyes and took in a deep breath…

…

_Inhale._

_Exhale._

_Breathe. _

“Uh... you look like you’re about ready to pass out, you alright?”

You opened your eyes, bleary vision settling on Brian, who was hanging out of the kitchen window. “Yeah… just tired, haven’t been able to sleep more than four hours a night over the past few weeks.”

“Try a shot of whiskey, that’s what I do and I sleep like a baby every night.”

You chuckled through your exhausted vocal cords. “I can’t handle my booze and you _know_ that.”

“Hah! Yeah, couldn’t forget that night, the work Christmas dinner last year… you were passed out before the party even started,” Brian teased, a grin splitting across his face as he winked. "Guess you just need to practice more."

"Mm, guess so..."

You returned his smile with a small one of your own as your eyes found the floor. Huh… there was a piece of old gum stuck in the corner, you’d have to remember to clean that up later…

“Hey, so, uh, I’ve been hearing from some of the girls about your, uh, _issues _with that customer that always comes in… the skeleton?” There was an abrupt drop in Brian’s tone to one more serious, his grin falling.

You perked up, meeting Brian’s hardened gaze with a worried one of your own and your heart rate rising at the mere mention of Sans. “What about it?”

“Well, I just thought I’d give you my two cents on it. I mean, I’m not a girl, so maybe I don’t understand what it’s like for you, but I _am_ a dude that’s hit on girls before and I can assure you, what that guy is doing is _not _normal.”

_Yeah, you don’t need to tell me_, you thought to yourself with a scoff.

“I disagree with the girls that it’s just harmless flirting, I mean, I heard something about an engagement ring? Fuck, even if I had billions of dollars, there’s no way in hell I’d buy a girl I barely knew expensive jewelry just because I thought she was cute,” Brian said.

“I, uh… he does make me feel, um… uncomfortable.” You wound your hands together and picked at your nails. “They all told me that they thought he just didn’t understand what’s socially acceptable for humans… l-like, maybe in the monster world, this kind of thing is normal? And I kinda agree, like, he looks scary and acts weird, but he’s not the only monster I’ve met that’s been like that… I’ve just never had one, you know, _hit on me_.”

Indeed, this wasn’t the first time you’d met a socially awkward monster. You recalled a cat monster who had visited the bar once who, without even being intoxicated, would burst into laughter at the most random and inappropriate times. And then there was Aaron, the real-life monster variant of Johnny Bravo… he called you pet names too. If you had a dollar for each time he called you ‘babe’, you’d be close to being a millionaire by now.

And yet… Aaron didn’t make you feel uncomfortable. You couldn’t quite place _why_, but there was something unnerving behind Sans’ use of pet names. The way his bones would tense and shake when he said them… the way that hellish-red eye of his would flash… that gaping crack in his skull…

Brian shook his head. “You can’t just blame it all on cultural differences. Monsters have been living with us for years now, they gotta be getting used to what’s normal for humans and what’s not by now,” he continued, “Not to mention, didn’t you say he waited for you to get off of work at fucking _midnight _to try to walk you home? In the fucking parking lot? That’s some serial killer shit right there. How do you know it’s not him following you around?”

At his words, a lump formed in your throat, legs suddenly growing weak and heavy...

The thought that Sans might be the one following you around had passed through your mind more than once over the past few weeks. You had always rationalized that it couldn’t be him, being that he was the one who advocated so strongly that you shouldn’t walk home alone in the first place. Wouldn’t a predator want his victim to remain isolated? Not to mention - his glowing red eye, his blue magic… you would _definitely _be able to see that in the dark if it were him, he wouldn’t show up as just a colorless shadow.

But yet, hearing it laid out to you by someone else, you struggled to continue to make excuses and all you could muster was a quiet, “I don’t know…”

Maybe you were in denial.

“I’m not gonna tell you what to do, but I’m just saying… the dude seems creepy as fuck. I’ve seen him look at you… it’s like he wants to _eat you _or something,” Brian said, disappearing into the kitchen before setting your prepped order in the window. “Be careful. If you need anything, remember that I'm there for you... just let let me know. We're friends, right? I have your back - even when it's creepy customers.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat, straightening your posture and forcing out a reassuring smile. “Of course we're friends... thanks Brian, I think I’ll be fine but I’ll keep you updated.”

You grabbed the food and rushed away, eager to escape the awkward conversation. Truth be told, you hardly considered Brian a friend... you had worked with him for a long time, sure. And he was a great coworker... but you weren't one to view coworkers as friends. They were just that - coworkers. Just like Sans was just a customer. 

Still... it did warm your heart to know that Brian cared enough to look out for you - even if you didn't need the help.

... Sans' behavior was definitely just a case of monster awkwardness. He wasn't being purposefully malicious... right? He wouldn't... _stalk you_... would he...?

There's no way it was him...

You rounded the corner to the bar back to Sans. And in an instant, his eyes were on you, crimson light pulsating as though it was gazing straight into your soul.

As though it had never left.

... And just like that, the lump in your throat returned.

-————-

By far your favorite thing about working swing shift is having the morning free. Not having to be at work until two in the afternoon allowed you time to run errands in the morning, go to the gym, and just all-around sleep in and lounge around. Although, you had remained unsuccessful in performing the latter...

It was again another near-sleepless night for you.

You had tried sleeping medications… melatonin, diphenhydramine… but they barely helped and if anything, gave you nightmares that worsened the situation.

You yawned, stretching, before heaving yourself out of bed and grabbing your phone to check the time. _Seven in the morning_… if you were lucky, you had gotten maybe three hours of sleep. Sighing and rubbing your eyes, you stared down at your notifications. You had a lot of them, for Facebook specifically… that was unusual…

You were a notorious loner so messages, Facebook notifications… those came in short supply for you. Well, aside from Sans recently.

You opened up the app and…

_What the fuck?_

It seemed that Sans had ‘liked’ not only every photo on your Facebook, but every post as well. Some of those posts and pictures were years old...

This was one of the most bizarre things you had ever seen… you had hundreds of posts on Facebook. Sans must have spent _hours _going through and taking the time to leave ‘likes’ on all of them.

A shiver crawled up your spine and you quickly clicked out of your notifications and went to your messages. Of course, you had a new one from Sans… you ignored it…

Maybe you should remove him…? But that might make him upset, and you worried of the consequences if you angered him. Perhaps it was his frightening appearance, but your instinct told you that antagonizing him was _not _a wise idea.

You decided that you would speak to him tonight about what was appropriate behavior and what wasn’t. _Be tactful. _

You clicked away from his message… and your heart sank when you saw that the message you had sent to your ex-boyfriend, Jake, had been read but gone unanswered.

_Bastard_. _Probably too busy fucking that fancy new girlfriend of his._

He had promised that you and he could remain friends when your relationship with him had ended eight months prior, but it wasn’t working out well…

He made a mistake though… you _knew _he made a mistake.

It was because of _him_ that you now worked out all the time and were now in the best shape of your life… it was because of _him _that you now spent more money than was wise on beauty supplies - make-up, hair products, nice clothes… maybe if you could impress him, he would take you back.

You and Jake… back in high school, he was the ‘it’ guy. Every girl wanted him, and even a few guys. And you? You were just a shy and mousy nerd that always had her face buried in a book; a wallflower that no one paid a second thought to. The fact that he had a crush on you back then seemed impossible, a dream come true for you: like something out of a sappy high school comedy romance movie… but he did, and the two of you ended up being high school sweethearts.

But after high school, everything went downhill… your parents died, you started working all the time, and… he was always unhappy with you.

There was no happily ever after for you and him.

You had tried so hard to prove to him that you could be his dream girl, that you could change for him… but…

It wasn’t enough…

He broke up with you.

And then he started dating this new girl not even a month later, and that made everything so much worse. You loathed how happy they looked together in their Facebook and Instagram photos, everyone commenting on how they made the perfect couple. Of course, they had created a new post of them out hiking together with a new pretty picture just yesterday, and of course they had multitudes of likes and comments already.

It was all so sappy and _stupid_. You _hated _it. How come no one commented on those things when you and Jake were together, and making those posts? Everyone always thought he was too good for you… what was so special about _her_?

What did _she _have that you didn’t?!

You gripped the phone, knuckles turning white, the edge of the case biting into your hand and creating angry red imprints. You huffed, tossing it onto the pillow and jumping to your feet, stalking to the bathroom of your small apartment.

Surely your lack of sleep lately was _not _aiding in you having a positive outlook on the situation.

You stared at yourself in the mirror, bangs draped messily over your forehead. You brought a hand up to trace the visible dark bags under your eyes.

There was no way you were going to make it through today without help from _something_. Coffee, an energy drink, sugar, whatever… you needed something to keep yourself awake and sane. You didn’t always have the money to indulge in those types of things but… today was a special occurrence.

\--------

You chose to skip the gym today, opting just to shower and throw on an old sweatshirt and some baggy sweatpants before heading out. You jogged down the sidewalk towards your desired destination, comforted by the fact that you were not alone on the streets. It being prime commuting time, the city was alive around you, the idle chattering of passing residents and the noise of traffic constant in the air.

You stopped, reaching the store that existed just a few blocks down from your apartment, mumbling out a ‘sorry’ as your abrupt halt caused a rather busy looking man to accidentally bump into your shoulder.

And just your luck - it was closed, the red sign dangling across the front door making that more than clear.

Searching on your phone, you learned that the store did not open up until ten in the morning. You were two hours too early. You internally kicked yourself for not realizing this earlier. You had always visited later in the day in the past, typically after you went to the gym, so the opening time had never been an issue. You huffed and looked around. You _really_ didn’t want to walk halfway across town to get to the next closest grocery store.

Supposedly, there was a corner mart in the ‘Monster District’, a section of the city that consisted solely of monster-friendly and monster-owned stores. You had never been to it, always hesitant to visit that part of the city… but it was relatively close.

You were desperate for caffeine today; it might be worth it.

Making up your mind, you turned on your heel and headed the other direction, towards the supposed store. 

As you walked, you couldn’t help but periodically glance behind you. Despite it being mid-morning and daylight, you still expected to see someone there. Watching you, following you. A shiver crawled up your spine and you forced yourself to stop thinking about it. Surely nothing would happen in broad daylight, with dozens of people around. You still walked to work in the morning despite getting rides home at night and nothing ever happened.

_It’s fine._

You took a deep breath.

_Everything is fine. _

You continued to inhale and exhale meditative breaths in vain attempt to keep your composure as you crossed the road into the Monster District, immediately noticing an increase in the ratio of monsters to humans. Cat-like monsters, dog-like monsters, bird-like monsters… there was quite a variety of them around. A lick of worry assaulted your mind… it felt like they were all staring at you… and a part of you wanted to turn around and return home, but you persisted.

You only halted your hurried stroll at the screeching, acrimonious shout of… someone. No, not just someone - a group. Not monsters either… humans. Shouting. Screaming.

Your gaze found the source of the noise… a cluster of humans, loud and obnoxious, adorned with tacky and flamboyant signs.

‘A VOTE FOR MONSTERS IS A VOTE FOR THE DEVIL’

‘GO BACK TO HELL MONSTER SCUM’

Anti-monster activists. Protestors.

_Ugh... get a life, _you thought.

Indeed, the city council had recently passed legislation that permitted monsters to vote just like any adult, law-abiding human citizen. It wasn’t federal or even state-level voting, they were to only receive ballots regarding city-specific elections within your particular town. However, certain groups of people were none-too-happy about that.

Your brow creased into a scowl as you passed them, ignoring their jeering remarks and shouts of hatred. You admitted that monsters were not always the easiest to deal with, especially given recent events… but this… this was just _unnecessary_.

It was better to not give them any attention at all.

After several more minutes of walking, the shouting of protesters growing mute in the distance, you arrived at what appeared to be your destination. You glanced up at the sign of the small corner mart, ‘Food & Stuff’ was the name, huh. You shuffled out of the way, allowing an alligator-like monster to exit, and to your shock, the monster shot you a disdainful glare before continuing on his way.

_What the hell? I didn’t do anything…_

You supposed that particular monster was _not _a fan of humans. But based on what you had just seen minutes earlier… you weren’t surprised. You shrugged it off and entered the store. Hopefully the monsters inside were friendlier…

The door emitted a shrill ‘ding’ as you opened it. Stepping inside, you hesitantly looked around – it was quiet, it seemed you were the only customer. Walking past the checkout counter, you noticed that there appeared to be no one manning it, only a note that read ‘ring bell if sleeping’ and an accompanying golden bell. Odd. You continued towards the back of the store where the refrigerated drinks were kept and perused the selection.

It was strange, you didn’t recognize near half the available brands. Monster food maybe? You ended up choosing what you were familiar with - an iced coffee and a red bull. As you strolled back towards the counter, you also snatched a caramel chocolate bar off the candy shelf. Sweets weren’t generally in your diet, but you decided that with all you’d been through this month, you deserved it.

You nearly jumped out of your skin when you rounded the corner and came face to face with the familiar skeletal frame of Sans, blood-red eye glinting as it settled on you. You exhaled harshly, calming yourself from the startle. When had he come in? You didn’t hear the bell on the front door ring.

Did he follow you here…?

The conversation you had with Brian yesterday invaded your mind and a roil of unease swirled in your stomach.

Sans, on the other hand appeared more than delighted. His mouth split into a wide grin, red eye rolling around its socket as it inspected you up and down. “heya sweetheart, didn’t expect to see you here. missed me so much that you just had to come see me? hehe.”

“Hi… Sans,” you greeted, his heavy gaze making the hair on your neck stand up. “Are you here to shop too?”

“well, sweetheart, you might be surprised to know that i work here,” he stated in a matter-of-fact tone before gesturing to the expanse of the small store. “my bro and i own the store.”

_Oh._

Great. Just your luck. Now he was going to misinterpret this as you being interested in him instead of the misunderstanding it was. At least this confirmed that he didn’t follow you here.

A part of you wanted to bring up the whole Facebook thing… but you chose not to… you’d do it later. Right now, you just wanted to _leave_.

“Oh really? That’s… cool. I didn’t know you owned a business,” you responded cumbersomely, averting your gaze, unsure of why you were even carrying on the conversation at all. You were not at work and therefore under no obligation to talk to him.

You just wanted to buy your things and _go home_.

“heh, sure do. gotta make money somehow,” his nonchalant voice echoed through the store as he took a step closer to you. “well, you gonna keep standing there or do you want me to ring ya up?”

“I have to get going, so that would be great.”

Sans chuckled, red-eye pulsing, before gesturing to the checkout counter. You ambled towards the indicated direction, tensing as you felt Sans place a guiding hand on the nape of your neck, invading your bubble.

You flinched away from him. “Sorry but, uh, I-I don’t really like being touched… can you... move your hand?”

Sans hesitated and you swore you felt the hand at your back tighten, claws digging at your clothes. But after a moment, he obliged and removed it. His mouth stretched into a tense grin as he mumbled out an insincere, “sorry”.

_Just get out of here! _Your mind screamed at you.

Sans strolled around to the cashier side of the checkout station. You set all three of your items on the counter and proceeded to stare at the ground, gnawing at your fingernails as Sans scanned each object.

_Why is he moving so slow? Hurry up!_

“tired again?”

You looked up to see Sans holding your iced coffee, having already scanned and bagged the energy drink and chocolate bar. 

“…Yeah.”

He chuckled, a look of pride fleetingly passing across his face, although this went unnoticed by you.

“you look it, with those bags,” he joked, gesturing to you.

You didn’t know why, but you felt a brief pang of hurt scrape you. You didn’t want his attention, so his insulting comment about your appearance should be a blessing… but… it still didn’t feel the best to hear another say something like that about you. If Sans felt that way about how you looked, would Jake feel that way also…?

“hey, don’t feel bad, you still look cute,” he reassured before scanning and bagging the coffee. “i’ll tell ya what, don’t worry about paying. it’s all on me - just for you sweetheart.” 

“N-no, that’s okay.” You couldn’t allow him to buy something for you; you couldn’t let him give you gifts - then he would think that you owed him. You shoved your hand in your purse, searching for your wallet. “I got it.”

“too late,” was his only response, that ever-persistent grin adorning his face as he shoved the twenty-dollar bill you had set on the counter back towards you. “gotta pay you back for that meal you bought me back when we first met, and since you wouldn’t accept the ring, this’ll have to do.”

Oh. _That_. The meal that you didn’t even pay for. It was this moment that you wondered if your seemingly innocent action back then contributed to this monster’s interest in you.

“Okay... thanks,” you surrendered, stiff hand grabbing the twenty-dollar bill and bag of groceries.

“have a nice day, hope you come back,” his voice was sickeningly sweet as he leaned towards you over the counter, winking. “and… i’ll see you tonight… sweetheart…”

You didn’t react; didn’t even look at him, simply turning away and intending to begin your trek home. However, you didn’t get very far before –

“HUMAN!!!”

The booming, resounding voice that came from behind you forced a squeak of surprise from your lips, your eardrums throbbing at the sheer volume of it. You turned, coming face to face with the midsection of a monstrous skeleton. While most monsters were large, you were used to dealing with Sans who wasn't _that _much taller than you. This new skeleton was _massive;_ he had to over seven feet if you were to guess. That wasn’t the only odd thing either, he also appeared to be dressed in some kind of… costume police uniform? The skeleton leaned down, an ecstatic smile filling his jagged mouth and you took a hesitant step back.

“I HOPE YOU ARE FINDING EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED HUMAN AND THAT MY LAZY BROTHER IS NOT HOLDING YOU UP,” he spoke in an unnecessarily loud tone considering your proximity to him. “HE’S ALWAYS FALLING ASLEEP AT THE COUNTER AND THEN I END UP HAVING TO DO EVERYTHING.”

You blinked. “Uhh…”

“hey, bro, that’s a little unnecessary to say in front of our customer don'tcha think?” Sans piped up from the counter, eying you. “and back up a little why don’t ya? you’re gonna scare the little human.”

“AHEM,” the apparent brother of Sans cleared his throat, backing up and straightening his posture. “APOLOGIES HUMAN. PLEASE PERUSE OUR WARES AS YOU LIKE. IF YOU NEED HELP THAN JUST SHOUT AND I, PAPYRUS, WILL ASSIST YOU.”

“That’s okay, I already got everything I need,” you forced a small smile, holding up your bagged items to 'Papyrus’' view. “Thanks though.”

“this is my bro papyrus,” Sans interjected, eyeing you before gesturing to his brother. “paps, this is is the girl from the bar i told you about.”

Papyrus once again bent down towards you, crooked teeth stretching into a grin. He waved at you. “HELLO! IF MY BROTHER LIKES YOU, THEN I LIKE YOU TOO!”

“Nice to meet you Papyrus.” You returned his wave with a rigid one of your own. You just wanted to _leave_, the optimistic and seemingly innocent nature of this larger skeleton doing little to cut through tense awkwardness you felt around Sans. “Anyways, I really should get going.”

Not giving either skeleton a chance to respond, you turned and rushed towards the door.

“GOODBYE HUMAN! COME BACK ANYTIME!” You heard Papyrus say in your wake as the door shut behind you.

You took one more glance behind you at the store, before beginning your speedy trek home. Well, fuck, another store you’d have to mark on your list to never visit again.

Was Papyrus really… Sans’ brother? They seemed polar opposites… the unease Sans emanated was not shared by the taller skeleton.

Brian had indicated that he though Sans might be dangerous, but… could he truly be dangerous with a brother like that?

Maybe your other coworkers were right... maybe Sans really did just have an innocent crush that he was unsure how to express. If you accused Sans of stalking you without definite proof, then you ran the risk of punishing an innocent monster. Seeing the protestors today was an ugly reminder that daily life for monsters was not easy. A vicious cycle of hatred; fighting tooth and nail for basic rights.

If anti-monster groups got ahold of the story of a human being stalked by a monster, they would use it to rip monster rights to shreds. It ran the risk of punishing not only Sans, but every single monster that lived in the city.

You didn’t want to be responsible for that.

But…

It didn’t stop Brian’s advice from clawing at your mind, your intuition screaming at you that something just… wasn’t… right…

\---

“Thanks Cameron,” you chirped as you exited the vehicle.

You couldn’t help but feel like a nuisance, asking for these rides home from work. But Cameron had insisted, and you did feel safer. While it didn’t entirely ease your anxiety, the shadow of the man who followed you still a constant presence in your mind, it helped.

“Stay safe,” was all he said, nodding at you from the driver’s seat.

The chill breeze bit at your skin as you exited the vehicle, a shiver assaulting your body. You grabbed your purse from the passenger seat and as you stood up, a dark figure invaded your gaze.

Your breath hitched.

Wide… tall… jagged…

He stood at the edge of the alley, next to an old dumpster, night cast over his figure, his shadow only mildly illuminated by the dim street light.

“Oh my god…” you whispered, blood turning to ice, “Cameron, Cameron, _he’s right there._”

_Who is it. _

“What?” Cameron quirked a brow at you, before getting out of the vehicle and following your gaze.

…

...

His brows furrowed.

“Are you… feeling okay_…_?” he questioned after a pause.

“No! Of course I’m not!” You stomped your feet as your heart raced, jabbing a trembling finger towards the alley. “He’s right the- w-what?“

There, where you had seen the shadow, was a trash can. Large, wide, and metallic, it sat next to the more sizeable dumpster.

“There’s no one there…” Cameron said, concerned gaze hovering over you.

“N-no, I swear, _I swear _there was someone… I… I guess I really need to get some sleep.”

Were you… imagining things…?

Cameron offered a sympathetic smile. “I can see how it might look like something else at first. Did you need me to walk you to your door?”

Your muscles clenched as you stared at the trash can, palms growing sweaty. You _swore _you saw somebody. Taking a deep breath, you returned your gaze to Cameron. “No… I’m fine, thanks for the ride.”

Cameron nodded. “Stay safe.”

Forcing a smile at him, you headed towards the entrance of your complex. You heard the sound of him closing the car door and the soft rumble of his vehicle driving away as you opened the door and slipped inside.

You began the ascent up the three flights of stairs you had to climb to access your unit, the musky smell of old smoke trapped within the floorboards assaulting your nostrils; despite months of living here, you never did get used to that smell.

Once you reached the second flight, you heard a thump followed by a harsh creak. A shadow flashed in your peripheral vision, a dense aura filling the air as though someone was _right behind you._ You whipped around and saw… nothing. Like always. It was _always _nothing…

Your eyes hovered on the culprit location a moment longer before you exhaled a shaky sigh and continued your ascent.

It wasn’t as if you _wanted _it to be something but… you _weren’t _crazy, you _couldn’t_ be crazy…

Reaching your unit, you jumbled with your keys before finding the correct one, casting a wary glance behind you before unlocking the door and entering, the door emitting an ever-familiar creek as it opened. The moment you stepped foot inside, your cat, Jingles, rushed to your side, meowing insistently. No doubt he only had one thing on his mind – food.

You smiled at the orange feline, crouching down to scratch his chin. He emitted a content purr. However, he was only satisfied with that for so long, and he rushed away to the kitchen. He meowed at you again. You stood up, dropping your purse and keys on the table before grabbing his bag of kibble and dumping a handful of it into his bowl.

During your break up with Jake, he had taken many things from your shared apartment with him. You were thankful that Jingles wasn’t one of them, as you doubted you would have survived the break up without the company of the orange feline.

You watched as Jingles began to chow down on the kibble, rumbling purrs tumbling from his body. Heaving a sigh, you slumped over to your bed and collapsing on top of it.

While the caffeine you drank earlier today had helped, you were exhausted, your lack of sleep over the last several weeks catching up to you. Despite still being clad in work clothes, you found yourself drifting to sleep, your lids too heavy to remain open.

Before slumber could take you though, you felt the hair on the back of your neck stand up as the atmosphere of the room shifted, growing heavy with an uncanny similarity to how it felt in the stairwell. You shot up, eyes ripping open and darting around. But… there was nothing, again. Only your cat staring back at you, eyes wide in curiosity and surprise at your abrupt action.

Your lungs grew heavy, heart racing. Were you really just imagining it all? Were you going crazy...?

You took a meditative breath, calming yourself.

Maybe you should see a doctor…

...

No… something didn’t feel right, it didn’t feel right at all. Exhaling a shaky breath, you climbed over to the window and peaked out of the blinds.

…

There was a man standing on the sidewalk.

Your breath caught in your throat.

He was tall… big… dim light outlining his figure. You couldn’t make out _who _it was, just his shape… just like the shadow you had seen in the alley minutes earlier. All he did was stand there, staring un-movingly at your building.

A shiver assaulted your spine, heart galloping, but you were unable to tear your gaze away. You continued watching for almost a minute, and then the shadow’s head moved… to stare directly at you through the window.

You let out a muffled shriek, slamming the blinds shut and falling backward onto your bed. Your heart pounded deafeningly, body growing numb and heavy… like an anchor dragging you into the depths of the ocean. Drowning you. _Suffocating_ you. You broke down in a fit of sobbing hyperventilation.

Why was this happening to you?

Why you…?

…

Still shaking, you warily crawled towards the window, a hesitant hand parting the blinds before peering outside.

He was gone.

The street light was flickering softly where he had been standing, but there was definitely no one there now.

How could someone be there and then just… disappear?

_Maybe it wasn’t real… _

You inhaled and exhaled a trembling breath, clutching your hands to your chest.

Tonight was going to be another sleepless night.


	6. Sans: Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warnings: ** Mild non-consensual touching

\--

** _  
_ **

_Why were you acting like this?_

** _Why._ **

_He didn’t understand._

_Sans watched meticulously as you hovered around the bar. You looked beautiful today despite the fatigue that coated your expression. But you had barely said a word to him; had barely even smiled at him. Yet, whenever your coworkers approached or another customer asked for assistance, you would beam._

_…_

_Your smile should only be for him._

_He was the only one who genuinely cared about you. Others would just use and discard you as they saw fit. He would be by your side for life._

_His soulmate._

** _His._ **

_He was trying so hard to show you how good he could be for you; how happy he could make you. He showered you with gifts, always made sure to tell you how perfect he thought you were. He utilized all of his spare time to protect you: you would not get raped, or murdered, or mugged… not on his watch. _

_He was sacrificing his sleep and his time for **you**._

_Why were you being so difficult?_

_He watched, red hue a rabid pulse in its socket, as you handed off a drink you had mixed to a male coworker. As the waiter grabbed the glass from you, Sans couldn’t help but notice the way his hand brushed across yours. _

_... And all you did in response was **smile** at the man._

_Agony ripped through his skull, threatening to split the already gaping fracture wider. His claws dug into the wood of the counter, misty blue magic crackling and circling his fingertips. How dare he touch you? How dare he touch what is his? His human, his mate… his, his, **his**. He wanted nothing more than to skin that man alive… make it last, torture him until he lost his voice from screaming._

_But he curbed his savage impulses… he would show restraint. _

_He would prove his worth to you, he would, he would, **he would**. Then you would never even dream of touching another again._

_-———-_

The air was heavy and dense as Sans stepped through the void to rematerialize within the familiar corridor of your apartment complex. The unpleasant smell of dampness, mold, and old smoke assaulted his nasal cavity; if he had a nose, he surely would have crinkled it in disgust.

But he didn’t have long; he had to remain focused on his original task. He was on break right now and knew better than to stretch it too long, lest he face the wrath that came in the thundering form of Papyrus. He stared at the door that belonged to your apartment, sitting there in front of him in all its wooden glory, tacky green paint none-too-aesthetically peeling off of it.

_Unit 301. _

Reaching his hand out towards the lock, he got to work; his left eye swirled with hints of blue as tendrils of magic streamed from his fingertips into the keyhole. He was hyper-aware of his surroundings, periodically glancing from side to side, watching for any sign of movement and listening for any suspicious sound… footsteps coming up the stairs... the creak of a door opening. He was ready to port away at a moment’s notice; he couldn’t be caught doing this. 

He knew this was illegal. The rules were different up here on the surface.

Maybe he should stop…

…

No, no, he was already here… and he had the right to see inside his soulmate’s apartment.

He _had _to.

…

He concentrated harder, skull throbbing as his magic worked its way around keyhole. He just had to pick your lock once… then he could port inside whenever he wanted to.

... Just a little bit more…

_..._

_.__.. Click_.

The lock snapped open and he tried the doorknob, hitching a wide grin when he felt it give. The door emitted an agonal creak as he slowly opened it, stepping inside before shutting and locking it behind him.

_He was here._

Your apartment.

He knew your schedule. You were at work right now, so he had the place to himself to explore.

Not but two seconds after closing the door, a orange-furred feline trounced towards him, demanding meows spilling from its mouth. But as soon as he made eye contact with the cat, it promptly hissed at him and dashed away. What was this? A pet? He didn’t know that you had an animal.

Sans followed the direction the cat ran, rounding the corner into the kitchen. He found it hiding underneath a small table, the fur on its back flared, ears flat against its head and a low growl reverberating from its body. Sans carefully approached the animal, crouching and outstretching a hand towards it. However, the feline’s growl only intensified and it swiped at him, claws scraping across his phalanges. The cat let out another screeching hiss before sprinting away, this time hiding under the bed that was peculiarly placed in the living room.

Sans shrugged and stood up; he wasn't about to waste his time here with some dumb animal. Although his research did tell him that befriending a human girl’s pet was a way into her heart, so making amends with the cat was definitely on his to-do list. 

He took a moment to absorb the scenery. Your apartment was small, no doubt. It didn’t even appear to have a bedroom; only a kitchen, bathroom, and living room. Your bed sat in the middle of your living room, pressed up against the only window. In general, it was sparsely decorated and the furniture you did own appeared old and cheap. However, it was clean… and it smelled nice – Paps would like that about you when you came to live with them.

Approaching the bed, he smoothed his hands over the sheets, admiring the soft feel of them on his fingers. He imagined your lithe form curled up beneath them, the thin material clinging to your body and outlining your figure. He would touch you, feel every divot and curve on your skin, make you whimper and shudder...

Unable to help himself, he bent down and inhaled, the honey-sweet smell of you filling his nasal cavity. He shuddered, soul thumping and magic simmering.

He savored the scent for a moment longer before moving to explore the rest of the apartment. In the living/bed-room also sat a small, older style TV atop an even older metal TV stand, a small wooden desk with a laptop on it and a bookshelf lined with several books. He approached the laptop and opened it. Much to his dismay, it was locked with a password. He ground his teeth together; he _needed _to see what was on your computer. The temptation to steal it and break into it at home was strong… but he resisted.

Another time.

Definitely another time.

Moving to the bookshelf, he found a variety of books organized on each shelf. Thick textbooks lined the bottom shelf, which appeared to be from some of the college classes you had mentioned taking. He smiled fondly when he spotted two chemistry textbooks stacked on top of each other, remembering the jokes you and him had traded back and forth back when you weren’t giving him the cold shoulder.

Aside from that, he noted a variety of fictional leisure books that took up the rest of the shelf space. Sans was unfamiliar with human authors and novel titles, never being a fan of reading himself outside of books for his research that occurred decades ago and the occasional science fiction novel from the Underground. However, based on the artwork on the covers of these books, many of them appeared to be fantasy-based novels.

He remembered you mentioning that you were into reading. That’s great. He would provide you with all the books you could ever want.

Sans thoughts drifted off into fantasy. You and him, at home together, lounging on the couch. You would be laying against his chest, your favorite book in hand while he played with your hair and massaged your head. Eventually, his ministrations would make your cheeks blush that cute pink color that he adored. You would drop your book and turn towards him, crawling further into the cradle of his lap and sinking into his chest. You would kiss his cheekbone with those soft lips of yours, moving to his jawbone, and then his mouth…

…

Someday, it would be a reality. _Someday_...

Wandering into the kitchen, it quickly became apparent that the quality of the items in there were vastly superior to the rest of the apartment. While your living/bedroom was filled with old and tattered furniture that was barely functional, the kitchen had an array of high-quality cooking equipment. Opening up each cupboard, he noted a variety of ‘health foods’: protein bars, shake mixes, nuts and several recipe ingredients. The fridge was similar, filled with fruits, vegetables, eggs, chicken meat, fish and a few containers that appeared to contain leftover meals…

You appeared to have quite the standard when it came to the food you consumed, and also seemed to enjoy cooking.

Sans was never big on health food, in fact, there was nothing he loved more than greasy stuff overly saturated with condiments. However, for you, he would try… surely if you cooked it, he would love it. <strike>He would eat _anything _to avoid starving again.</strike>

Maybe you could even teach Paps a thing or two.

You would love his kitchen: larger with more counter space along with a much better-quality oven and stove. He could only imagine – you cooking a meal for the three of them in his kitchen. You would be dressed casually: shorts and a tank top, and your hair tied up just the way he liked it. You would be focused on the meal you were preparing, humming a soft tune to yourself as your hips swayed. Sans couldn’t see what the meal would be in his fantasy, but he was certain it would smell delectable.

He would sneak up behind you while you were distracted and snake his arms around your waist, pulling you flat against his chest in embrace. You would be surprised at first, but once you realized it was him, you would relax into his hold. You would insist that you needed to finish cooking and couldn’t get distracted… but he would ignore your protests, tightening his hold and smoothing his hands underneath your tank top and up your stomach, exploring your body. Paps would be out of the house, so you and him would have all the privacy in the world.

You would whine, wiggle and complain at first… but as time passed you would give in, his ministrations dragging moans and shivers from you. He would slip a hand under your shorts and tease you... make you feel _good_. Eventually, he wouldn’t be able to wait any longer; he would bend you over the counter and have his way with you until you screamed his name… the food might burn, but it would be worth it…

A soft groan escaped him as the fantasy reached its peak, hand gripping the handle of the refrigerator as though his life depended on it and magic swelling at his pelvis. His free hand wandered southward to grasp and rub at his crotch. _f-fuck…_

No… not here…

_later._

With a harsh exhale, he straightened himself, rearranging his shorts and shutting the refrigerator door. It was then that Sans noticed a calendar behind the door, scribbles and marks all over it.

It was a basic calendar, each month a photo of some pretty scenery – a mountain, a forest, an ocean. However, Sans didn’t care about that, he was far more interested in what was written on the calendar – it was thoroughly detailed. You wrote on it as though it was a planner, indicating when you went to the gym, the store, the laundromat, and even work.

Sans jammed his hand into his pocket to find his phone, whipping it out and snapping a photo of this month, and the three consecutive months after that. Thank the stars you were making this easy on him. He had been looking for another way to keep track of you now that he no longer had access to your Facebook.

... You had removed him yesterday… and not only that, you blocked him too. He couldn’t even search for you anymore.

_“Sorry, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to have you on social media.” _

_ “We barely know each other.” _

When the words had left your mouth… he had felt as though his skull might split open from the rage. The near-unbearable _agony. _

He was doing these things for your own good. Why couldn’t you just **_understand? _**

A rattle assaulted his bones, teeth gnashing together as the unpleasant memory invaded his thoughts. But he continued to sift through the calendar.

You took a bus to the grocery store every Sunday at around two in the afternoon and Sans presumed this indicated that you shopped at the larger store across town. He tensed as he imagined you standing on the bus next to all those disgusting human men that would take any opportunity they could to grope you. Sans had seen this occur before on public transit with other human women being the victims of it. But he never cared; it didn’t concern him. Most humans acted like animals anyways. But you… he would make them regret it if any of those animals ever touched _his _human.

But it’s okay… with him, you would never need to ride a bus again. He could teleport you anywhere you wanted to go. <strike>Or you could just never leave his house.</strike>

He forced out a coarse exhale, blue smoke streaming from his nasal cavity as his magic continued to boil within him. Resuming his inspection of your schedule, he found that nearly every morning you went to the gym. Right, he remembered seeing on your Facebook page that you worked out often.

Conveniently, a business card for the gym was tacked onto the wall next to the calendar. Wait - he knew this place, it was only a few blocks away from where he worked.

His mind wandered and imagery of you working out found him: your hair held in a messy ponytail, skin slick with sweat and tight clothes outlining your figure… _tarnished _by the thought of _others _being able to see you like that.

…

… He might have to force you to find a different way to stay fit…

You appeared to attend a variety of different classes at the gym: yoga, cycling, strength training, aerobics. But it was strange... just last week, your class variety appeared to change. It was now… kickboxing, self-defense… in fact, you had a women’s self-defense class scheduled for tomorrow.

Why were you taking classes like that? You didn’t need to, not when you had him to protect you.

... Why couldn’t you just realize that he was there for you?

Why couldn’t you just accept him?

You were his soulmate; _you were his soulmate_. Soulmates were supposed to instantaneously fall for each other. Did you truly not feel _anything _for him?

** Why? **

Sans tore himself from the calendar, trying to ignore the nagging, _angry _thoughts that scraped at his mind. Pupils vanishing, his phalanges hooked around his empty eye socket and tugged _hard_. The pain was blinding; cracking sounds of splitting bone rasping through the air as his skull threatened to tear.

_Patience hanging by a thread._

He yanked harder, prompting another crack to reverberate his skull. A stream of crimson liquid trickled out of the corner of the fracture, streaking down his jaw bone and dripping onto the tan fur that hooded his blue jacket.

He just didn’t _get it. _

A soft hiss left him as he released his skull, that buzzing red hue returning to its socket before he turned and stalked out of the kitchen. Expression turning predatory, he searched the apartment with rabid interest. <strike>Hunting, hunting, he had to _hunt._</strike> He needed _more_.

What he had right now wasn’t enough.

He made his way down the small hallway towards the door that presumably led into the bathroom, only halting when he passed a wooden dresser. It was small and misshapen, navy blue paint peeling off of it and two of the drawers were missing handles. Next to it was an equally cheap plastic hamper.

Red eye glinting and jaw stretching into a ravening grin, he threw open the lid to the hamper. The scent of worn clothes filled his nares - _y__our_ scent; pants, shorts, shirts… they were all there. He dug through them, picking up one of your dirtied work uniforms. He pressed it against his nasal cavity and inhaled. His soul shuddered and a small rattle shook his bones, him remembering you wearing that shirt just two days ago... how the material clung so alluringly to your body.

He reluctantly returned the clothing article to the hamper and continued digging, pausing when he felt a thin, lacy material brush against his phalanges. Tugging the piece of clothing out, he inspected it. Skimpy, thin silk lined with a delicate ruby red lace; his mouth salivated like a starving dog eyeing a roast as he gazed at the underwear. Magic shifting, he stroked and winded the material around his hands, admiring the white streaks that just lightly stained the center of them.

He buried his face into the undergarment and inhaled deeply, not even a hint of shame bringing pause to his actions. His body shuddered as he savored the sweet scent of your musk and unable to help himself, he stroked his tongue up the dirty center of the material.

He groaned, gripping the underwear so tightly that his claws punctured through the silky fabric. Noting the damage, he simply shrugged before pocketing it. It didn’t matter that it tore, there was no way he was leaving it behind. Not when it so vividly tasted and smelled of _you_.

Surely you wouldn’t notice one pair missing.

_heh…_

He grinned to himself as he turned his attention back towards the worn dresser. Throwing open each drawer, he found that each article of clothing was folded and carefully place inside. You really were a neat person - maybe he should clean up his room for you?

But Sans was distracted from this thought when he noticed that the panties he found before weren't unique, as you appeared to own several articles of more scandalous underwear: lace, silk, stringy thongs. While he could only imagine how fun it would be to see you model each pair for him, and even _more _fun to rip them off… why did you have so many? Surely not for _other men_.

You wouldn’t _dare _do that. Not when you were _his_.

<strike>He wouldn’t let you.</strike>

A low growl reverberated through him as he forced himself to turn away from the dresser, stalking back down the hallway. However, he stopped when he noticed something rather peculiar in the corner of it, just where the corridor yawned into the rest of the room.

Atop a small yet sturdy and well-polished corner table sat two wooden vases. Each of them had a date and a name carved stylistically onto the varnish and in between them stood a photo containing three people. Was this some kind of shrine?

He picked up the picture frame, inspecting it closely. There were two people he did not recognize and what appeared to be a younger, teenage version of you. No, there was no mistaking it – it was definitely you. Your hair was a bit shorter and unkempt, style clunkier and more reserved... but it was you. On either side of you stood an adult man and woman that held an uncanny resemblance to you. Must be parents.

But why the shrine?

Sans set the frame down and snatched one of the vases, unscrewing the top. All he saw was grey dust, ashes…

Not monster dust though…

Sans had heard that humans sometimes turn into dust when they die too.

... And realization dawned on him.

…

…

His grin stretched.

This meant you were alone… isolated, with no close family to care for you.

All the better for him to swoop in and claim that role.

-———-

** **

You snored…

That’s what Sans learned as he stood next to your bed, darkness cast over the room aside from the red glow that illuminated your slumbering, splayed-out form. Your chest rose and fell slowly, lips parted as soft noises tumbled from your mouth.

Your eyelids fluttered and he froze. Were you waking up?

Poised to port away in a moment’s notice if need be, Sans released the breath he was holding in when he noticed your body still.

Just dreaming…

His bones trembled as he reached for you, hand gliding over your sheet-covered body. You shivered in your sleep beneath his touch. You were… _so perfect… _

A shudder rolled down his spine as his soul swelled.

If you woke up right now and saw him, how would you react? In his fantasies, Sans imagined that you would be overcome with love and contentment; grateful that your soulmate was going to such great lengths to watch over you. You would invite him to sleep with you, cuddle you, touch you…

Another shudder.

But who was he kidding? You didn’t even seem to like him, deliberately choosing to deny your soul’s will.

If you woke up and saw him, you’d scream.

…

Yep, you’d _definitely_ scream.

Not that this made Sans want to stop. He had a right to watch you, keep you safe.

Eventually… you’d come around.

Leaning down, he smoothed his hands over your bed, grasping a strand of your hair and pressing it against his nasal cavity. He inhaled… _honey… sweet… _so much stronger than the scent that simply lingered when you weren’t there.

Pushing your hair out of the way, he gazed down at your neck… it looked soft, tender, _fragile_… his mouth began to salivate just at the mere sight of it. So vulnerable and exposed to him. He pressed his teeth into your skin… another deep inhale… you felt so _right _against his mouth...

He could mark you right now. Lay his individual claim on you so that no other being, human or monster, would even _think _to touch you. Not with his scent lingering on you and his magic coursing through your veins.

Then you would be his, forever.

His mind drifted to the humans at your workplace… how much he hated seeing them watch you, touch you, talk to you…

He had a right to make his connection to you known.

His soul pulsed, magic burning at his core and swirling around his jaw… urging him on…

You’d forgive him, right? Yeah… yeah… once you understood… you’d forgive him…

You mumbled and began to stir, lids fluttering more violently this time. Sans jerked away, vanishing just as you began to open your eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	7. Suspicions

\--

** **

The cool morning air bit your sweat-streaked skin as you stepped out of the gym and onto the bustling city block. It was Sunday morning so it was not as crowded as normal, but there were still plenty of people out and about. You sighed, stretching your head back and shutting your eyes, taking a moment to bask in the high.

You loved this feeling, muscles sore and tired yet stronger, the brisk air melting the sweat off your skin. That magical endorphin rush… it made you feel like you could take on the world.

It made you forget how exhausted you were, how anxious you were… just for a moment.

The shadow that followed you, that _stalked_ you… your constant companion, your harbinger of anxiety. You saw him again last night outside of your window. All he did was stare, for hours. At your window. At _you_.

But… who was it? You didn’t truly _know_, as you had never been able to get a good look at them. All you knew is that it was a man… tall and wide, jagged…

You worried that maybe one of your old clients had found you… but who? You didn’t know names, only usernames and vague bits of personal info.

And then there was Cameron, who made you feel as though you were imagining it all. Maybe you really were just seeing things…

But Brian planted the suspicion of Sans in your mind and the more you spent time around Sans, the more your distrust grew.

But... you didn’t know _for sure_. You dared to assume… but assumptions were dangerous things.

Whoever it was though… they were controlling your life.

As such, yesterday, you reported your stalker to the police. Delusions or not, you would rather be on the safe side… maybe the police could help investigate, figure out who the culprit really was so you did not have to blindly assume.

… But you didn’t get the reaction you were expecting…

“We’ll look into it and follow up with you,” they had said after prompting you to fill out paperwork.

“Maybe you should go see a psychologist… just in case,” the receptionist had told you.

…

You had a hunch that your filed report had gone into the trash the moment you left the station.

You read the news… it wasn’t too long ago when an article came out describing a woman who had been murdered by her stalker. She had gone to the police prior to her untimely end, and was fined and threatened with jail time for making a ‘false report’.

Your internet search on ‘stalkers’ further cemented skeptical thoughts of the police in your mind. Despite every ‘guide’ regarding stalkers advising you to go to the police, you were also met with multitudes of stories describing women and men alike being laughed away by law enforcement after reporting their stalker.

Would that happen to you? Would your reports be ignored until you too ended up murdered and tossed like trash in a ditch somewhere?

You couldn’t let that happen. You would make it through this. Even if the police wouldn’t help you, _you_ would help _yourself_. As such, you had dumped your remaining paycheck this month on buying numerous self-defense weapons: pepper spray, a pocket knife, another taser to replace the one you had lost… you even contemplated buying a gun, but you did not have the money nor the knowledge for that.

Today, you took a women’s self-defense class at the gym in place of your usual spin class. Tomorrow you would take a kickboxing class. You were on the shorter side, you knew that. Despite how much you worked out, you knew you were physically weaker than most. You _knew_ that it would be difficult to defend yourself against an armed attacker that was larger than you… but regardless of the situation, if you got assaulted there would be no way in _hell _you would go down without a fight.

You had made it through much worse than this. You recovered after your parents died. You survived your break up with Jake. You were saving up money to attend school and have a career all by yourself.

You had always persevered through the toughest of times. And you would persevere now too.

You opened your eyes, holding your head high and pressing your shoulders back. The breeze whistled through your ears and rustled your sweat-streaked hair. Like hell you would let your stalker control your life, your emotions… today you would go about your normal routine, today you would do what _you _wanted without fear or anxiety… and tonight, you would get a good night’s sleep for the first time in weeks.

_He _didn’t control you. The only person who controlled you was yourself.

And if he attacked you… you would show him just how _easy _of a target you really were.

Readjusting your gym bag around your shoulders, you maintained your confident posture and began to hike back to your apartment. It was difficult to not look behind yourself, to prevent your eyes from constantly darting around _searching, searching, always searching_… but you restrained your paranoia despite how desperately it clawed at the back of your mind. You wouldn’t let it win; you wouldn’t let _him _win. So, you kept your focus straight in front of you and continued onwards with confidence.

However, you didn’t get far before –

A voice hummed your name from behind, deep and timbre… one you recognized…

Your stomach lurched forward in a knee-jerk reaction, breath hitching. Turning, your eyes settled on the familiar skeletal figure, clad in black striped shorts and a heavy fur-lined blue jacket as usual. You released the breath you were holding in, it whistling out of your parted lips in a relieved sigh. It was only Sans…

But… why…? Why was he here? Why did you keep running into him at random places like this?

And the way he looked… red hue pulsing rabidly in its socket… his usual grin hitched higher, tense and stretched to its limits, almost… maniacal.... and you swore that the gaping fracture in his skull had grown larger and even more damaged…

A shiver worked its way up your spine, a constricting _suffocation _assaulting your body as breathing suddenly became the most difficult thing in the world.

You felt like a mouse caught in the merciless claws of a cat under his intense gaze.

You shrunk away from him, heart thumping as you took a rigid step back. Despite the multitudes of people shuffling around you… in this moment, it felt as though it was just him and you.

His red hue constricted as it focused on you, creasing into a slit… turning predatory_…_

**You wanted to run. **

He looked you up and down… and then his expression shifted, jaw going slack into its usual relaxed grin, crimson eye settling. It was as if he was the friendliest monster around and wasn’t just staring at you like he wanted to eat you.

“what a coincidence running into you here eh?” he rumbled, taking a single large step forward to close the distance you had created. “how’s it goin', sweetheart?”

You exhaled a shaky breath, trying to force your encroaching unease away... but it wasn’t working very well. Your instinct screamed at you that something was _wrong _with this occurrence, your paranoia eating you alive, but you convinced yourself that you were imagining it. You told yourself, _don’t be scared_…

… But you still couldn’t help but wonder… _why was he here?_

He inched closer, so close that you could feel the warmth of his breath cascading onto your forehead and rustling your bangs. It was hot, _tingly_… it almost seemed _familiar. _

Another shiver wracked your spine.

“Hey Sans, uh - yes, it is quite a coincidence,” you greeted with feigned kindness, inching away from him yet again. “I was just, um… taking a walk, but I’m going home now.”

Sans’ grin widened, faint rigidness returning to his bones and beads of blue sweat forming on his skull. His red hue wobbled as it raked down your form, entirely lacking in subtlety: gazing at the crook of your neck before wandering further south to settle on your chest. Your cheeks burned as blood rushed to your face.

Another step back.

Was that why he was here? To flirt with you again?

Why couldn’t he get the message that you’re not interested?

You couldn’t help but notice that as you distanced yourself from him, that maniacal tenseness returned to his expression. However, just like before, it was gone as rapidly as it appeared.

“hehe.” He again closed the gap with a single, large step before bringing a hand up to wipe the sweat from his brow. “it’s your day off, right?”

…

“do you wanna do something together?”

“I-uh…” you stumbled out, words catching in your throat.

The quivering red light flashed as he eyed you, unblinking, _staring. _

You fumbled with your gym bag strap, wishing that you were anywhere but here in this moment. “I, uh… I have a lot of errands to run today, I really don’t think I have time… sorry.”

You tore your eyes from his, unable to look him in the face as you allowed your off-handed rejection to settle. You noticed his body stiffen, _felt_ the heaviness of his gaze on you and the crackle magic in the air. And you froze.

You didn’t have to look him in the face to know that he was _angry_.

You had received the backlash of furious, rejected men before. Been called every horrible name in the book. But somehow, this was _different_.

However, when you dared to meet his burning eye-lights again, it was as though your feeling was completely wrong. He appeared perfectly relaxed, that lazy grin still planted on his face. But the aura of magic still simmered around you like a dense fog.

“heh, too busy for me, huh?” he spoke, tone casual and almost sickeningly sweet. He leaned down, leveling his gaze with yours. “coulda fooled me with how leisurely you were walking around before i spotted you… but guess i’ll let ya off the hook, just this once.” He winked.

“Y-yeah…” you stammered, again backing away. _What the fuck is wrong with this guy?_ “I-I really need to go… I’ll see you around.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat and tried to ignore the hair-raising chills that assaulted your skin. Your mind told you to _just leave _and choosing to take that advice, you only took a moment to adjust the strap of your gym bag before turning and walking away.

You heard a heavy step follow you. Another sound that felt _familiar. _The lump returned.

“can i walk ya home?”

You stopped, sparing a glance at him. His usual grin was still present as ever, but that ominous look still danced behind the voids of his sockets. Your palms grew slick with sweat and you bit your lip hard enough to draw blood, bringing the taste of copper to your tongue.

You _really_ didn’t want him knowing where you lived…

“No… no, you don’t have to do that, I’m really kind of in a hurry today.” You offered him a reassuring smile in hopes that he would finally let you leave.

His gaze remained heavy on you, smile dropping and pupils traveling downward to rest on your mouth. Teeth grinding against your bottom lip, you tore your gaze from him.

“She obviously wants you to leave her alone you freak. Get the hint,” a nearby woman interjected, sneering at Sans. She was standing at the bus stop with another young woman, a sheer look of repulsion painted on her face. “Monsters like you are so disgusting.”

Sans stilled, brow twitching and crimson eye flashing as it rolled towards the two women. The surrounding atmosphere once again grew heavy, almost _smothering_, as magic masked the air. 

The two women seemed undeterred and continued their heated staring contest with Sans, nothing but contempt dripping from their expressions.

But ultimately, Sans said and did nothing, merely grinning with that same rigid mania that sent chills up your spine. 

If this were any other time, if it were any other monster… you would have jumped to their defense.

But with _him_, you didn’t. You took the opportunity when Sans was distracted by the two women to race away, pace quickening into a jog until you made it home to your apartment.

_“How do you know it’s not him following you around?” _

As you walked, the words of your coworker rang in your mind.

_“I’ve seen him look at you… it’s like he wants to eat you or something,” _

You were skeptical before.

But now, you realized that he was right.

\---------

The temptation to succumb to agoraphobia and remain home the rest of the day was strong in your mind. You had to perform some meditative yoga on your own to avoid capitulating to another anxiety attack.

Your faceless shadow of a stalker was an afterthought. You were scared of _Sans_.

His insistence, how he wouldn’t let you leave… if those two girls hadn’t intervened, you weren’t sure what would have happened. You had never seen him act like that before: his mannerisms so wildly unpredictable as though he could snap like a frail tree branch at any moment.

But… but… you couldn’t let your life be ruled by fear.

Maybe he was just having a bad day. He had spent the majority of this month awkwardly courting you, always ending in rejection on your part. That must sting for him.

And you didn’t know _for sure _if he had followed you to the gym… your gym was located near the corner mart he owned... maybe it was just a coincidence…

So, you had swallowed your fear and went about running your errands like you intended to do today. You were in desperate need of groceries, having run low on several fresh items that you normally kept.

But… as you strolled around the store, you couldn’t help but periodically glance behind yourself... seeing a constant shadow lingering in your peripheral, watching you. Like you were being _hunted. _However, each time you turned to look, it ended up just being another innocent shopper minding their own business.

You took a deep breath, trying your best to keep your head held high as you turned into the baked goods aisle. The grocery basket, filled with a couple heads of lettuce and packaged raw chicken, swung against your side as you strode down the corridor to your destination. You needed more flour…

Much to your dismay, you found that the brand you wanted was completely picked over on the middle shelf and the only remaining supply of it sat atop the highest shelf… which you could not reach. The woes of being shorter…

You sighed, hanging your head before glancing down the aisle, searching for anyone who looked nice and tall enough to get it for you. Seeing no one, you were about ready to exit the aisle to find an employee…

… Before the surrounding air grew heavy…

Too-familiar footsteps thumping against the tiled floor.

You whipped around, only to come face to face with the ivory features of the very person you dreaded it was.

Sans stopped next to you, uncomfortably close, wearing an amused grin as he eyed you up and down. “you’ve gotta hand it to short people…” his voice smooth as silk, humor dripping off of his words as his red eye swiveled up to the flour you wanted. He lifting a bony hand up to grab it from the top shelf. “well, they can’t reach it for themselves, can they?”

He winked before offering you the package of flour.

You, however, did nothing, your legs suddenly growing weak_, heavy, _as though they might collapse beneath you. This grocery store was located across town – you had to take a bus to get here...

_Why _was he here?

There was no way this was just a coincidence, like you had given him the benefit of the doubt before.

He _knew _you would be here.

…

Was he… was he _really _your stalker?

Was it him all along?

You had contemplated it, had your suspicions… but in the end you always decided that it couldn’t be him. You always made _excuses _for him.

However, as you stared at him in the fluorescently lit aisle before you, you couldn’t help but notice just how jagged his outline was… almost like the jagged form of a human male… just like the jagged form of the shadow that followed you… your stalker…

You quailed before him, feeling so small and helpless under his searing gaze… and just like that, the little confidence that remained drained from you.

Sans, however, appeared to grow irritated at your apprehension, face darkening as he again thrust the flour towards you.

“c’mon, can’t leave a guy hanging…” he spoke lowly, the dangerous lilt in his tone slicing through you like hot daggers.

You hesitated, before reaching a stiff hand out to grasp the package of flour from him, shivering as he ran a single bony digit over your fingers. And as you dropped the item into your basket, it dawned on you… how did he know which item to grab? That brand of flour was not the only thing on the top shelf and he had not asked you what you wanted… it could have been anything.

How did he _know?_

Paranoia clawed at your mind as the implication of the situation crashed down on you like a thunderous wave.

“heh, what’s wrong sweetheart? you look like you’ve seen a ghost…” He grinned at you, ruby eye flashing. His voice was deceivingly friendly… but you could see darkness that lurked behind it. Chortling, he stepped forward and outstretched a bony hand towards you, stroking his fingers down the side of your face and tucking a strand of loose hair behind your ear. “you can tell me if somethin’s botherin' you…”

_Wh-what the fuck?!_

You recoiled away from his touch; his claws almost felt _threatening_ as they scraped against your skin. Your heartbeat pulsated through your entire body and your instinct spurred within you, screaming at you to drop everything and run.

But you didn’t…

If Sans was your stalker, you needed to put an end to this _now_. The police wouldn’t help you. You had to help _yourself. _

“You… how did you know I was here?”

Sans stared at you, bones momentarily tensing before he relaxed and shrugged. “skeletons gotta eat too, but you already know that,” he spoke as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. He leaned in, leveling his gaze with yours. _He was so close_. “ya know, the nice thing to do is to say ‘thank you’ when someone helps you...”

_He’s lying._

**_He’s lying_.**

You undoubtedly had your moments of naivety, but even you would not be fooled by his innocent tone or friendly smile… you _knew _this was no coincidence. Even if he wasn't the shadow that was following you… how he was acting towards you at the bar lately... him showing up at the gym, and now here… it was _definitely _no coincidence.

But you played along, not daring to risk invoking his seemingly teetering temper.

“Thank you…” you mumbled out, eyes finding the floor.

He reached out and gently patted your head. “good girl…”

Your face erupted into a deep red and you frantically swatted him away before taking two large steps back. 

“Please don’t touch me,” you implored, “I’ve told you before… don’t… t-touch me…” 

Although his crimson eye danced near-maniacally in its socket, he continued to grin like nothing was wrong. He inched a small step towards you. “hehe, sorry sweetheart. just a little difficult to resist sometimes, ya know?” he rumbled out, “why don’t you go out with me sometime? we can get to know each other better… you’ll realize this is all just a big misunderstanding.”

Despite your discomfort, you felt anger boil within you - mixing dangerously with your current swimming pool of emotions. How could he act so innocent?! There’s no way he doesn’t know what he’s doing. No one is that deluded. You wanted to scream at him; to accuse him of stalking you… but the intelligent part of you told you that doing so would not be wise. Not with the undeniable hints of danger lurking behind his every expression.

“Please, please stop asking me.” You undoubtedly sounded like you were begging, but you didn’t care. Maybe… maybe you could appeal to his kinder side. _If he had one._

“Can’t we just be… friends?” you offered in your kindest voice, forcing a small smile.

He eyed you with a burning intensity, pupils darting to stare at your mouth and his grin splitting even wider. “heh, well since ya asked so nicely… how could I refuse?” he cooed, “come get lunch with me as ‘friends’ and i’ll stop asking.”

You hesitated, biting your tongue as you weighed your options. If you refused, you wouldn’t have to spend time with him but it was unlikely that he would let up on his current… _methods_. If you agreed, then you would be giving into his insistence… but perhaps you could also set things straight and convince him why you couldn’t date him… then maybe he would stop.

Surely, if you went somewhere public – _very _public – you would be safe, right?

You warily met his gaze. “Just as friends?”

He tilted his head, red hue continuing to flicker. “just as friends.”

Once again, you considered your options. This seemed like a bad idea, but you couldn’t see any other way. The police wouldn’t help you… you had to handle this yourself. So you steeled yourself before muttering, “…Okay.”

\-------

You shivered as you skulked towards the small café you had agreed to meet Sans at, your raincoat wrapped around your body, heavy wet drops splattering onto it. The weather was so nice earlier, but it had abruptly taken a turn for the worse. It was strange - the sudden downpour was almost analogous to your current mood.

You were fortunate that Sans had agreed to a time later in the day and hadn’t insisted you went with him immediately. Gave you time to return home with groceries, gather your thoughts… figure out what you were going to say to him.

You didn’t want to do this; you didn’t want to do this at all. The sheer thought giving in to his demands… _rewarding_ his stalkerish, creepy behavior… it made bile rise to your throat. But it seemed like the only way to set him straight.

As you rounded the corner to the café, you spotted Sans standing out front beneath the canopy. Waiting for you. Oddly enough, he was completely dry. 

It didn’t take long for him to notice you, his head tilting towards you the moment you were within view, crimson eye dancing as it settled on you. He stood up from the spot he was leaning against the building and held out a clawed hand to beckon you towards him.

Reluctantly, you approached, heartrate seeming to increase with each dragging step you took towards him. It didn’t help at all that, as soon as you got within reach of him, he wrapped his arm around your shoulder, pulling you into a mock, one-armed hug. 

“heh, you’re drenched.” A light chuckle escaped him as his mouth split into a wide grin. “well, let’s not dally outside, come in, don’t be shy.”

You flinched, and in return the hand around your shoulder began to clench, claws digging into your skin as he pushed you inside. You mutely went along with it, unable to find the words to tell him to _stop _as your head turned fuzzy with trepidation.

He led you to the table furthest away from the main counter -the far corner against the window- and gestured for you to sit down. Had this been a _normal _date, you would have seen this action as gentlemanly. You removed your raincoat and set it onto the booth next to you before easing yourself into the seat.

“whaddya want?” Sans asked.

As soon as the words left his mouth, you launched yourself from your seat. You couldn’t let him order for you, because then he would try to pay for you as well. You couldn’t let this seem any more similar to an actual date than it already was. You couldn’t owe him _favors. _

“No, no it’s okay, I can order myself,” you regurgitated before rushing to the counter.

Sans simply snickered and followed closely behind you.

In the end, you only ended up ordering a coffee. You really weren’t that hungry… Sans ordered more: a burger and fries just like he normally did at the bar.

You sat silently across from him, nursing your coffee as he munched on his food. The silence was near suffocating. The way he stared… it made you want to cower under his gaze… so intense and _predatory_. That grin of his ever-present and so… out of place.

Everything you wanted to say caught in your throat before you were able to get it out.

You stared at your coffee, the dark liquid swirling in the mug. Why? Why couldn’t you speak? Why couldn’t you think of something, _anything_ to say to set this right?

“my bro likes you,” Sans broke the silence, his voice smooth and casual, although there was a distinct hint of pride attached to the words. You spared a careful glance up at him and noticed that he appeared quite fond as he spoke. “wouldn’t stop talking about how nice you were, how happy he was to have a human come to the store, how much he wanted you to come back.”

Right, you had almost forgotten that you met his brother that time you unintentionally visited his store. Papyrus was his name, right? He seemed so nice, so innocent in comparison to Sans. How could two siblings be so _different_?

Then again… Sans had seemed so innocently kind and funny when you first met him too.

“he really likes humans, my brother. really likes the surface, despite how rough it has been for us monsters… always seems to forget how hard humans made it for us when we first got here,” Sans continued, propping his head up with his hand and claws clicking against his skull… _tap, tap, tap_. His pupils remained constricted in their sockets, hyper-focused on you. “but me... _i _know better. _i _know how evil your kind can be… and _i _bet you’re not all that innocent either, huh?”

Where was he going with this? You were no expert on romance, but you would assume that implying to someone that you hated their species wasn’t a great way to get them to like you.

You swallowed thickly before answering. “If you hate humans… if you think I’m just as bad the rest of them… then why…?” you trailed off, unable to find the right words to complete your sentence.

“hate them?” Sans tapped a single claw against his skull, grin faltering. “i don’t ‘hate’ humans, and i’ll have you know sweetheart that i hate you least of all… you… you’re _perfect_… but doesn’t change the fact that your kind is evil,” he assured you, his voice falsely sweet as he removed his head from his hand and leaned towards you over the table. “i mean lets face it, we all have a _bad _side and i bet your bad side is quite fun.”

He dragged a hand towards his empty plate, dipping a bony index finger into the mound of leftover ketchup and bringing it up to his face. Mouth parting slightly, a cobalt tongue peeked out and he licked the ketchup from his fingertip, his eyes never leaving yours all the while.

You recoiled in disgust, tearing your eyes away from his - an action that earned an amused chuckle from him. Did this display work on female monsters? Because it certainly _wasn’t _working on you. Even if he _hadn’t_ spent the last several weeks stalking you, you would still find it revolting. You needed to put an end to this **_now_. **

“Listen… Sans…” you began, his heavy gaze unhelpful as you tried to form your intended words. “I know you’re… interested in me… but this could never work… we’re two different species, we aren’t compatible.”

His grin stretched wider. “hehe, is that what you think? you’re a naïve human… monsters and humans _can_ be together, it’s all throughout history… we can even procreate together. why not be a little adventurous? we’re _meant _to be together, you and me.”

You shuddered, not wanting to even _think _about having a _child _with Sans. “W-well! I-I… I can’t return your interest, I’m sorry…”

That ruby hue of his danced wildly, that crazed look returning to it as his grin strained.

His claws rasped loudly against the wood of the table, the air growing dense and heavy… _tap_… _tap_… _tap_…

“Because I, uh, I also…” You were unable to hold eye contact any longer and returned your gaze to the swirling darkness of your now-cold coffee. You frantically wracked your mind, searching for another excuse as to why you couldn’t date him, heart pounding and palms beginning to sweat. You let out a shuddering breath. “I already have a…”

_I’m not interested in dating anyone but my ex._

Again, his claws grated against the wood. _Tap_… _tap_… _tap_…

“I already have a… a boyfriend,” the lie left your lips before you could think any better of it.

And once more, the rasp of his claws came.

** _Tap…_ **

** _…Tap…_ **

** _…Tap…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> The story about the woman getting fined/threatened with jail time by the police and then later killed by her stalker is a true story. It is unfortunate that the police often do not take stalking cases seriously until it's too late.


	8. Sans: Games

“I already have a… a boyfriend.”

Sans could hear the way your voice wavered, like a rickety building that might collapse should a single pylon fall. The way your eyes darted from his to stare at your coffee the moment the words left your mouth.

His soul twisted, an all too familiar sense of betrayal stabbing him.

**_liar. _ **

He dug his claws into the table, a loud clatter resonating through the small café. His bones _trembled _as thought they might dislodge from each other. 

You were a filthy, dirty **_liar _**and you _knew it_.

At the rasp of his claws, you jumped and shrunk into your seat. He continued to bore into you, magic boiling as his grin stretched and bordered on a scowl.

Why? _Why _were you being so insistent on rejecting him? Going so far as to _lie _to him even? _<strike>grab her by the hair and drag her **home**.</strike>_

You and him were soulmates, and yet…

_stop._

…

Relax…

Breathe…

…

_she’s confused._

_she doesn’t know what she wants yet._

_she’ll **learn. **_

So, he forced himself to calm. Gaze lingering on you, his jaw relaxed and he shot you a friendly yet knowing grin.

“boyfriend, huh?”

You nodded mutely in response.

His shoulders rolled into a shrug. “heh, guess i’m outta luck. welp, i’ll take ya up on your offer of friendship then…” He held out a bony hand towards you. “friends?”

You stared quietly at his outstretched hand, twitching... before slowly grasping and shaking it. “Friends.”

You let go, but he maintained his constricting grip, phalanges stroking the top of your hand and savoring the soft feeling of your palm._ so perfect._ The mere action of touching your skin sent jolts of electricity across his bones, his soul writhing in longing. However, once he felt the tug of you trying to pull away, he reluctantly released you.

You wanted to play games? Okay. He would play along… for now.

-———-

After years of being dragged into helping Papyrus fabricate his puzzles, Sans considered himself a pro at the art of playing games. But… winning and losing? That never really mattered to him so long as it was entertaining.

... But this time… he would _win. _

Sans watched the apartment complex from a distance, ruby hue absent and blue hood pulled over his skull. He could just barely see the entrance of the building over the dumpster he was hiding behind. The periodic passing of vehicles obscured his view, but he still spotted your familiar figure exiting the building right on time.

You appeared more than a little worse for wear. Dark bags sagged from your eyes and your shoulders were slumped as you dragged yourself down the sidewalk; as though you could pass out at any moment from exhaustion. Sans chuckled, bones vibrating. Was this his effect? Were you so tired because of him?

_heh…_

<strike>You deserved this for rejecting him. </strike>

He _just _wanted to hold you, comfort you. Embrace you and _never let go. _

... Why couldn’t you let him do that?

He could make you happy. He could. _He could._ Why couldn’t you **_understand. _**

…

He would let you sleep _only _when you accepted him and _only _in _his _arms. As it should be.

...

You halted your ambled walk to look around. And Sans nearly fell over himself in his hurry to port away when your eyes focused on the alley he was hiding in.

It seemed that despite his feigned offer of friendship to placate you, you were still very nervous.

It’s okay though… you would never know he was here.

Rematerializing on the other side of the building, Sans peeked around the corner to focus on you; ready to port away at a moment’s notice if need be.

You squinted, staring with suspicion at the alley he had been in… and then heaved a sigh, your shoulders drooping as you continued your trek to work.

Sans waited until you were out of sight before again stepping into the void, the familiar scenery of your apartment emerging into view moments later. He looked around and spotted your cat eying him from atop the bed. However, the moment he took a step towards the feline it launched itself off the bed and scurried underneath it.

Oh well. That wasn’t why he was here.

Sans stalked down the hallway towards the hamper. Throwing open the top, he leaned down and inhaled, shuddering while basking in the strong aroma. He wasted little time before beginning to dig through the clothes, salivating when a bony digit brushed against a familiar lacy material.

Sans snatched the underwear, dragging it out of the hamper and pressing it against his nasal cavity. His soul thumped, magic pooling at his pelvis as he savored your scent. _Stars, _he needed this fix.

He couldn’t wait until he got to taste the real thing.

Toying with the pink, lacy material for a brief moment, he shoved the undergarment into his pocket to save for later use before making his way over to your laptop. He opened it up, lamentably finding that it was still locked with a password.

Sitting in the computer chair, he scooted close and began throwing open the desk drawers and sifting through the contents. Sans didn't spend much time online... but his brother did. He knew that Papyrus kept a sticky note containing all the passwords and usernames for the various sites he used – did you have the same?

He found a wide array of pens and pencils, a stapler, a hole puncher, scissors, rulers, several old binders and notebooks with what appeared to be old class notes written in them. He opened one of the binders, finding it to contain old assignments and tests from several different types of classes. He smiled fondly when he noticed that you appeared to do quite well on your tests.

It almost made him sad that he wouldn’t be able to allow you to attend nursing school like you planned.

Sans put away the binder and continued to sort through the same drawer, shoving several leaflets of loose paper out of the way. At the bottom, his claws scraped across a small notepad. He grabbed it, a grin splitting his maw when he realized that it contained exactly what he was looking for: Passwords for your computer, email, Facebook, Instagram, bank account… everything.

He had to be careful not to break the laptop as he jammed the password into the keyboard, a satisfied rumble reverberating through his bones when the computer transitioned to your homepage.

He was in.

The first thing he did was open up the pictures folder that was saved to your desktop. It contained multiple photos of you that he had already seen on your public Facebook page – your cat, selfies, photos of scenery. There were also several containing people that appeared to be your parents.

However, there was also another folder within this folder, it was labeled ‘P_Photos’. Sans wasted no time in clicking into it. A fickle combination of surprise and excitement stirred within him when he saw that the folder was _filled _with photos of a nearly naked human woman modeling various pairs of panties. In some photos, she was topless and in others she wore a near-equally revealing bra. However, none of them showed her face.

But, with the amount of time Sans had spent inspecting your figure in person, it didn't take long for him to realize that they had to be photos of you. He could recognize your body anywhere... it was _definitely _you.

He took the time to open each photo, magic growing tighter against his shorts the longer he looked through them. He could only imagine… you underneath him, writhing and mewling as he teased you through the thin material... 

Fumbling with his pocket, he pulled out a flash drive and jammed it into one of the ports, taking the time to copy each and every photo over to it. He _needed _this.

However… why did you have so many photos like that? You hadn’t met him yet at this point, so surely you didn’t need to be taking pictures like this. _Surely, _they weren’t for a _ex-__boyfriend _that you'd been hiding from him.

The thought made his arousal vanish in an instant, teeth grinding together as he internally seethed at the thought of another seeing you this way.

He knew you were lying about a current boyfriend… but had you been with someone in the past?

You wouldn’t do that would you…? A good mate _waited _for their one and only.

…

He minimized the photo album opened up Facebook, delighted that it was already logged in so he didn’t have to bother entering the password. Your message inbox was the first place he went, curious as to what type of people you liked to talk to. <strike>Not that he would let you talk to them for much longer</strike>_<strike>.</strike>_ He found that you only spoke to two people frequently: a girl named Alyssa and a guy named Jake. There were also several old, unread messages from him…

<strike>Why did you ignore him then?</strike>

Pain shot through his skull and he shook his head, re-focusing on the task at hand.

The girl you spoke to much less often. The last message was nearly a month ago, with Alyssa asking you to go get coffee to catch up and you responding that you didn’t have time. There was no further correspondence after that. Sans gathered that you and her were friends, but not great friends. <strike>Good.</strike>

The guy however… you spoke to habitually. And it didn’t take long to realize that the most recent messages were very one-sided on your part.

** '_Message: Why have you not been responding to me?'_ **

** '_Message: Too busy fucking her to give me the time of day anymore?'_ **

** '_Message: You promised that we could stay friends.'_ **

Sans scowled, claws digging into the mouse. Why were you fixating on this guy and not your _soulmate?_

His soul wrenched and throbbed.

A quick look through the timeline showed that Jake hadn’t responded to you for several days… until just recently one hour ago.

** '_Message: You need to stop this. This isn’t healthy.' _ **

Scrolling through your history revealed that you had pages and _pages_ of chat history with this person. And it didn’t take long before Sans' sneaking suspicions were confirmed – this was an ex-boyfriend.

But that wasn't all...

... You.... you were still interested in this human. Your messages to him made that clear as day.

Magic flaring, a growl ripped through Sans' non-existent throat and it took all of his strength to restrain himself from hurling the laptop against the wall. He wanted to kill this human, rip every single limb from his body and watch him bleed out on the floor.

... After all… you wouldn’t be able to pine over this guy if he was _dead_, right? _hehe…_

Yet, despite how perfect you were, it wasn’t enough for this damn human. It seemed like he always wanted more from you and regardless of how you changed for him, you were never good enough. His complaints ranged from dissatisfaction with your appearance to demanding you be more adventurous in bed to criticizing your hobbies.

And you… you did _everything _for this man, even with how poorly he treated you. Everything that Sans wanted…

…

Sans would give anything to have you see him this way. And _he _would never make you change for him. He loved you just the way you were; he just needed to make a few alterations to what you were allowed to do for your own safety, that’s all…

Against his better judgement, Sans read on… and it seemed that the relationship had ended as a result of other issues as well: Arguments over money, cleanliness of the apartment... you were especially unhappy that Jake spent more time with his friends than you.

Ultimately it culminated in a breakup. A quick click into Jake’s profile told Sans that he had already moved on, him having begun a relationship with a different human female.

But you… _why _were you still obsessing over this human?

** Why? **

Sans was here, waiting for you to come to him. Your soulmate. Yet _still _you turned him down, lied to him, ignored him, _avoided _him.

Sans could make you happy in a way this guy _never _could.

His jaw tensed, bones shaking and the roar of his magic growing stronger. He would… he would kill him; he would kill everyone that you loved until only _he _was left. Then you would have no one left but him to come to for comfort.

_hehe…_

…

…

_stop._

He shook his head, tugging once at his socket.

_get ahold of yourself._

Despite the temptation, Sans knew that he couldn’t do something that could put all monsters under fire if he got caught… that could take him away from his brother… that could take him away from_ you_.

He had to be _careful. _The rules were different up here on the surface.

But every day, that was becoming more difficult; every day, his patience was waning. A fine thread threatening to _snap**. **_

What was the point of being patient anyways? He had been patient all his life and it never got him _anywhere. _His head throbbed on cue, as if to remind him of this very thing.

Bones rattling, he coiled his phalanges around his empty socket and tugged harshly. His vision briefly blanked.

No… no… _no… _

It wasn’t enough.

Releasing his socket, his claws trailed up dig into the cavernous fracture of his skull and yank on a protruding piece. The pain was instant, shooting down his spine and piercing through his bones.

He continued to scroll through your messages to Jake and he saw a photo you sent to him that displayed you barely clad in a bra, camera alluringly angled towards your cleavage.

He growled, glaring at the screen. He continued to pick at his skull, the protruding piece beginning to give...

The pain was near agonal.

He saw an old message – from Jake to you, where he explained in vivid detail what he wanted to do to you when he got home.

He scratched at the isolated piece of skull, a phalange scraping beneath the bone as he yanked at it. The piece cracked, nearly falling into the gaping hole as it dangled teeteringly by a small thread of collagen.

Blood gushed from the wound, staining his jawbone and splashing into his skull..._ drip… drip… drip…_

Releasing the wound, he held his still-trembling hand in front of him to inspect the ruby liquid that coated it.

A drip of red splattered onto the front of his blue jacket as he balled his hand into a fist. His skull reeled from the pain and black spots dotted his vision, but it did little to distract him from his rage.

This was all your fault.

This was your fault for rejecting him.

For **lying **to him.

Fuck your games. **Fuck **being friends. He didn’t want that.

He wanted your mind, body and soul all to himself.

He had been through so much; he survived the Underground, starvation… he _deserved _happiness now.

_…_

_…_

_…_

It took all of his willpower to click out of Facebook and focus his attention elsewhere. Wiping his bloodied hand on his shirt, Sans clicked into your browser history. He exhaled jaggedly, skull throbbing as blood continued to trickle from the wound.

Your browser history was… about what he expected: Facebook, email, Reddit, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram… it appeared that you frequently looked at Pinterest, especially cooking and fitness related posts. You also frequented a forum that appeared to be geared towards those that are currently or are looking to become nurses.

Nonetheless, he took it all in.

It was all you: his sweetheart, his precious mate.

He loved you so much he could hardly stand it.

He nearly got lost in it as he took his time clicking on each link, savoring the content, inserting himself into your life in his fantasies. You and him could be _so happy _together. It almost made him forget the bitter sting of rejection, the painful throb in his head… the _rage_. Almost - until he clicked on a spiteful Pinterest post you made that obviously referenced your ex-boyfriend.

And then it all came crashing back down on him, reality smacking him right in the face. The agonal throb returned, pulsating across his skull in sharp, unforgiving waves.

Who knew that loving someone could be so _painful_. 

Ignoring the aching pulse of his soul, he closed out of your Pinterest and clicked into your email account, entering in the password that was conveniently written on the notepad. His jaw tensed, teeth grinding together as he leaned towards the screen.

Your email contained… lots of receipts for bills. Electric, internet, apartment rent… the list went on. You always appeared to pay them just in the nick of time, waiting until the day they were due and sometimes even a few days after. It was clear that you were struggling. But Sans already knew that… he could tell based on the poor state of your apartment.

If only you would let him take you away from all of this…

He also saw an email from what appeared to be your landlady. It was easy to tell that the email was purposefully passive-aggressive, the woman criticizing you for making too much noise at night – likely when you got home from work. The letter even contained an idle threat to evict you if it kept up.

But… the walls in these apartments were paper thin. Even now, Sans could hear people thumping and shifting all around him – next door, below, above. It seemed that you were being punished for the misfortune of having a job that finished late.

His bones rattled as he read the words. How _dare _this woman threaten what was _his? _

But then again…

If you got evicted from your apartment…

… That would be the perfect opportunity for him to swoop in, show you that he could be good to you and coax you to move in with _him_.

Suddenly, he wasn’t so angry at the thought anymore.

He closed out of the email and continued scrolling, before a particularly odd one caught his attention.

**_‘_More?’ **was all it was titled.

He clicked into it... and in the content of the email was a man requesting to purchase your underwear.

_the hell?_

And not only that… the man also implied that he had purchased some previously. And requested more _pictures _of you as well.

Sans glowered, self control teetering on the edge. If he knew who this man was, he would have already been at his house by now, ripping him to shreds. That was _his mate _this man was soliciting. **_His_.**

Trembling, Sans searched the mans’ email address in your inbox. Several more results popped up. In fact, this man had not only solicited you for your panties once or twice - he had done so _five _separate times. Each time he requested that you wear them for up to five days before sending them.

And you… you had followed through each time. Each time, once you confirmed that you had received payment from the man, you would send him tracking information for the package that presumably contained the underwear and up to three photos of you modeling said pair of underwear.

Suddenly, Sans realized why you had all of those photos of you wearing lingerie on your computer.

This was why.

For the eyes of _other men_.

Sans slammed his fist onto the table, bones clattering against the wood. The pain in his skull was splitting. The emails didn’t stop there either… as he continued to search, he found nearly _thirty _more that were similar – men requesting to purchase your used underwear for their _personal _use.

... And each time, you had followed through.

** _…_ **

** _….._ **

** _……_ **

** The thread snapped. **

And his soul anguished to the very core.

Bones simultaneously tensing and shaking, he stood, shoving the chair back so hard that it rolled to the other side of the room and smacked against the wall. He would steal every single dirty pair of underwear you had, _shred them to pieces _– he wouldn’t let you continue this deplorable behavior. At this point, he didn’t care if it clued you in to his presence in your apartment.

You should know who you _belonged to. _

However, just as he began to stalk over to the hamper, he heard a jingle outside followed by the distinct grating sound of a key sliding into the keyhole. He halted, red hue swiveling towards the door.

_she’s home._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t actually think there’s anything wrong with women who sell underwear. None of the thoughts of characters in this fic mirror my own personal beliefs.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	9. Insomnia

You stumbled into the door, body thumping clumsily against the worn wood. Your legs numb and a feeling of nausea washing over you, you placed a palm against the door to steady yourself, shutting your eyes and breathing out a haggard sigh.

_Almost there…_

You really thought things were going to improve - no, they _were_ improving, right? Sans had agreed to your offer of friendship, so hopefully he would stop pursuing you now. You felt as though things had ended on a good note with him the other day. He seemed hurt, but… he’d get over it… right...?

Coincidentally, the shadow that had been stalking you appeared to have ceased over the last couple of days as well.

You supposed that all but confirmed that your shadowy stalker was indeed Sans…

But it seemed… your nightmare was over.

Except for the fact that you swore you saw him watching you from the alleyway earlier today when you left for work... however, when you had turned to look… he had been nowhere in sight. Despite the fact that it made your ever-encroaching panic-created anxiety bloom anew in you, in the end you chalked it up to exhaustion conjured delusions.

You still weren’t _entirely _certain that every occurrence of your stalker was _real_.

You were so tired…_ exhausted_. Your insomnia had reached a breaking point, like a rickety bridge ready to collapse. Too anxious to sleep, but not anxious enough to stay alert. It was like some kind of cruel joke.

** _Earlier…_ **

_“Uh, you don’t look so hot. You okay babe?” _

_Aaron stared at you, his typically lidded eyes widened in concern and tail swishing. He had just arrived for happy hour, coming to the restaurant for the first time in over a month... and that was the first thing he had said to you. _

_You cringed at the use of the pet name; something you had previously seen as charming when it came from someone as ridiculous as Aaron now ruined for you by Sans’ similar use of such names. “I’m fine Aaron, thanks for your concern.” You rolled your neck from side to side, offering him a small, forced smile. “Can I get you anything?” _

_ “Just a beer please, any kind,” he said with a grin. “And some cheese curds – oh and some chicken strips!”_

_You mutely nodded at him, almost zoning out halfway through his order. You dragged yourself over to the fridge, propping yourself up against the counter and heaving a sigh. Your lids felt like iron weights over your eyes… even the cold tile floor seemed like an inviting place to sleep in this moment…_

_You shook your head, ignoring the temptation and slapping your cheek lightly before leaning down to grab the beer. The chill glass felt so detached in your palm, like it wasn’t even there. Your hands felt numb, tingly… and the drink slipped, shattering on the floor. Carbonated, amber fluid coalesced on the tile around the sharp, dark glass. _

_“Whoa! You okay?! You need help?!” Aaron called from the table, posture indicating he was about ready to leap over it._

_His voice sounded so distant to you as you crouched down and began gathering the broken shards into your hand. “No… I’ve got it…” _

_ However, it didn’t take long before your coworker interrupted your cleaning efforts and ushered you into the back room, insisting that she would take over bartending for the time being. After some resistance, you mutely followed her orders, and not too long after that you found yourself being called into your boss’s office. _

_“I know a lot has been going on with you lately…” _

_“But these types of slip-ups can’t be happening so frequently, especially around customers. I’ve gotten several complaints about you making mistakes over the past two weeks.”_

_All you did was nod silently in response as you listened to Cameron speak, staring down at your lap and picking at your fingernails. _

_“I’ve been ignoring them, that’s why I haven’t said anything until now since I know things have been tough for you as of late. But they really need to stop.” _

_Cameron heaved a sigh, scratching his head and raking his hand through blonde strands of hair. “Go home. Try to sleep – you clearly need it. Come back tomorrow with a clear head.” _

** _-_ **

** **

You fumbled with your keys, the lanyard nearly slipping out of your hand as you searched for the correct one. It took you two tries to get the key correctly into the hole, but eventually it slipped in. Pushing the door open, it emitting its usual creak, you dragged yourself into your apartment.

You barely noticed that your cat did not come greet you like he normally did as you ambled over to the kitchen counter and dropped your purse and keys onto it. You ignored the queasy unease that swirled in the pit of your stomach and the numbness in your legs. All you wanted to do in this moment was _sleep_.

However, when you set your sights on the bed, you noticed Jingles perched atop it. He was eying your computer desk, unblinking, his orange fur slicked back and body still. You tensed, alarm bells ringing in your head; you were never one to distrust an animal's intuition.

Something was wrong.

You followed his gaze... and then realized that your computer chair was not at its normal place. No, instead it was on the complete other side of the room against the wall. Normally you would blame this sort of occurrence on Jingles, but… as you approached the desk, you realized that items were misplaced in such a way that you could _not _blame on your cat.

Your heart rate increased, palms growing clammy and the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. Not only was the computer hot as though it had just been used, but the notepad that contained all of your passwords was out in the open atop the desk. You never left that out, the innate need to remain tidy always making you stow it away in the desk drawer.

You swallowed, reaching out a trembling hand to unfold the laptop and log in, face paling when the first thing that popped up was your email – opened up to a conversation with an old ‘client’ of yours.

That wasn’t the only thing either. Several photos of you posing in various pairs of underwear for your clients were also opened… complete with a thumb drive in the USB port with said photos copied over to it.

Your stomach churned, bile rising to your throat. You immediately closed all open tabs and slammed the computer shut, backing away and clutching your hands to your chest. Your heart was thudding deafeningly now, throat so tight it was difficult to breathe.

_Someone was here_.

Someone had been in your apartment, they had been on your computer, they… they had looked at your private photos. There was no other explanation. You hadn’t used your computer for over a day, yet it was freshly warm. You never would have left those tabs open or your email logged in… and with the way your cat was acting… it was as though something had scared him.

Your skin _crawled. _

Your privacy, your personal life, your boundaries… all disregarded and trespassed. Suddenly, you didn’t feel so tired anymore - the fresh adrenaline rush chasing your exhaustion away with ease.

Who? _Who? _Could it be Sans again…? You thought you had solved the issue with him, but maybe seeing him this morning in the alley wasn’t a delusion after all. Would he have gone as far as to break into your apartment…?

Or maybe… maybe one of the men you had sold panties to had found you… your email was opened up to one of _those _messages, so it seemed a possibility.

Selling underwear was something you had resorted to after your break up with Jake to earn extra money. After all, you were proud of your body and it was a business that made good money with very little effort on your part. Most of your clients were cordial, polite… but some… some would get very pushy regarding your personal information… demanding photos of your face, attempting to coax out your address or phone number…

After a particularly aggressive client had managed to find you on Facebook and then insisted that he was going to come see you in person, you had stopped selling. You had decided that the benefit to your finances wasn’t worth the risk of your personal information getting out.

Or worse… being stalked… raped… murdered…

…

Did this client end up following through and _actually _find you in person?

…

No… no…

How could it possibly be anyone other than _Sans? _

_Stop making excuses. _

…

You whined, hugging yourself as a shudder wracked your body before glancing around the apartment to search for anything that appeared amiss.

Everything else seemed to be in place, but what if… what if whoever was responsible was still here? Still _inside _your apartment? Your computer was warm - hot even, it couldn’t have been but ten minutes ago since it was used.

A shiver worked its way up your spine, the hairs on your neck standing up. You had read about this before… people coming home to discover strangers hiding in their house… under the bed, inside of cupboards… closets…

Your breaths growing shallow and rapid, you felt your heart beating in your throat as you warily approached the bed and peeked underneath it.

…

……

Discounting the few boxes stowed under it, it was empty.

You didn’t stop there either. You checked the bathroom, closet, every cabinet in your kitchen. Your anxiety was so intense that you felt it might tip over the edge each time you checked a new location… but each time, there was no one there.

Aside from you and your cat, the apartment was vacant.

This should have comforted you, but it didn’t. You _knew _someone had been in your apartment; you _knew it_. But nothing appeared to be stolen and barely anything had been moved. The knowledge of this terrified you even further – whoever was responsible clearly had more malicious intentions aside from just robbing you.

You _wished _it had just been a thief.

Continuing to exhale shallow breaths and cool beads of sweat budding on your forehead, you shakily withdrew your phone from your pocket. You searched the number for the non-emergency police line and hovered your finger over the dial button.

Should you call them or not?

...

… Would they even take you seriously?

You trembled.

…

_You’re not crazy._

_…_

_You’re **not **crazy. _

…

…

They didn’t take you seriously before…

In the end, you decided not to call; the paranoia of being treated like a fool again too much to fathom… you knew that If you told them that your only evidence of a break in was open tabs on your computer, they would be quicker to deem you delusional than help you. Just like before…

You couldn’t handle that again… being treated like you were crazy…

You _couldn’t. _

Instead, you dialed the number of your ex-boyfriend.

You collapsed onto the bed, pulling your knees to your chest with one arm and pressing the phone to your ear with the other. The phone rang and rang… and in the end, no one picked up and it went to voicemail. You called again, and again the phone rang several times but this time, someone answered.

**“Hello?” **The irritated voice of Jake came from the other line.

“J-Jake…” you stuttered, bottom lip quivering.

**“What do you want? I’m at the movies right now with Erica, I had to leave the theater to take this call.” **

You could tell from his tone that his patience was paper-thin.

**“You really need to stop calling me like this, we aren’t together anymore. I’ve moved on.” **

“N-no, please Jake… I need help,” you stammered, unable to stop your eyes from growing wet. “I-I think someone has been stalking me, they broke into my apartment. I’m scared.”

Jake was quiet for a long time, before an exasperated sigh echoed through the phone. **“Seriously? Making stuff up _again_ just to try to pull me away from my girlfriend? So pathetic… I never should have unblocked you.” **The annoyance was clear in his voice now. **“Even if this is true – which I doubt it, you need to stop relying on me. Call one of your friends or something – you have those, right? Or the police. I’m done with your shit.” **

“No wait! Please!” you screeched into the phone, but it was too late; him having hung up the second he finished talking.

You sobbed, arms wrapping around your knees as you rocked back and forth on the bed. You clutched the phone so tightly that your knuckles turned white.

Jingles jumped up onto the bed and rubbed against your legs, a rumbling purr emanating from him. Tears still streaking down your cheeks, you lifted your hand to scratch his chin - which he happily leaned into. You inhaled and exhaled a meditative breath, wiping your eyes and trying your best to calm yourself as you soaked in comfort from your cat.

Even now, you were so used to Jake being the one to help you out every time things went awry in your life. He was your rock… well… he used to be at least…

You missed him…

…

No…

_No._

_Stop acting so pathetic._

_…_

You didn’t need him.

_You didn’t need him. _

He’s just the jerk that dumped you.

…

**_Fuck_** him.

…

You were not a _liar_.

…

You were _not _crazy.

…

…

But you really didn’t want to be alone right now…

You lifted your phone to your face and once more contemplated calling the police. But yet again, you decided against it and instead sifted through your contacts to find Alyssa’s number. You dialed it, holding the phone to your ear and pleading inwardly that your distant friend picked up.

**“Hey girl, long time no talk, how are you?” **Alyssa’s cheery voice came from the other line, having answered the phone almost immediately.

“Hey Alyssa, sorry to bother you I know… I know I haven’t been the best friend lately…” you mumbled.

**“… What’s wrong? You sound terrible, is everything okay?” **

“I-I… I think I need help...” You swallowed, struggling to form the right words as a sizeable lump formed in your throat. “I think… someone has been stalking me… and I think he broke into my apartment today. I don’t know what to do.”

**“Oh my god, why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?!” **Alyssa gasped. **“Do you need me to come over?! Did you call the Police?!” **

Questions and concern spilled from your friend’s voice like vomit – Alyssa had always been an excitable person. But all you did was hang your head as you listened in silence, her words seeming so far away. Your legs and arms tingled with numbness, like they didn’t even exist. You felt pathetic, helpless – you couldn’t even handle your own problems.

**“Hey?! You still there?! Well, either way I’m coming over. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”**

“Ok…” Was all you said, dropping the phone onto your bed and burying your face into your knees.

…

“No offense, but you look awful,” was the first thing Alyssa said as she greeted you at the door, having arrived as dutifully promised thirty minutes later.

Your relationship with Alyssa was a strange one. She was your oldest friend in this town by far, having known her since middle school. But you and her were always different... in high school, she was everything you weren’t… well-liked, put together, outgoing. But no matter your differences, she was always there for you. However, she took a back seat in your life once you started dating Jake… you grew apart, she went off to college… and now you rarely spoke to her anymore.

In this moment you realized… you were a terrible friend back then, and you didn’t deserve her to be looking out for you as she was right now.

Alyssa looked you up and down, brown eyes swimming with concern. And you knew she was right too, having stolen a daring glance at your own appearance in the bathroom mirror just before she had arrived. Your eyes were reddened, puffy, and bloodshot; the swollenness only further exaggerated by the dark bags that hung below your lids. The rest of your face was slicked with small beads of cold sweat, your typically styled hair disheveled and unkempt. No doubt you looked terrible - a nearly unrecognizable shadow of your former self.

“Yeah… I know…” You offered her a faint smile as you ushered her inside, triple checking that you locked the door behind you.

Before you had a chance to react, Alyssa pulled you into a bone crushing hug.

“It’s good to see you again,” she said, “you haven't returned my calls lately... I’ve missed you.”

"... Sorry... I know I've been a bad friend," you murmured despite her constricting hold. 

"Don't worry about it - I never took it personally. I get that things have been rough ever since... Jake..." Alyssa said the name quietly, but the mention of your ex-boyfriend still made your gut clench.

... But compared to your current problems, you weren't about to dwell on it. "Still, I feel bad... but thanks."

The two of you sat on the bed together. You stared down at your hands, fidgeting with them as your knees grew restless. Alyssa merely stared at you.

“When’s the last time you slept?”

“Last night… but I’ve only been able to sleep about three hours a night since this began a month ago… I can’t relax, I have nightmares, see _him _every time I close my eyes…” you mumbled.

“A month?! Fuck, why didn’t you tell me earlier? I know we don’t hang out much anymore, but you know I’m always here for you if you need.” She placed a hand on your shoulder. “… Who is _‘him’ _anyways?”

And you… you recounted all of the occurrences of your stalker over the past month… from the shadow that followed you… the creepy customer at work… your suspicions… your discussion where you asked him to _stop… _culminating in today’s home invasion.

However, you failed to mention Sans’ name - that it was a monster doing this to you...

The thought of doing so unsettled you.

You couldn’t make assumptions.

“You can’t trust men,” Alyssa stated after you finished your story. “Maybe he told you he would stop to lure you into a false sense of security. It’s definitely still the same guy.”

“Maybe…” Your gaze found your hands. You were so certain that you had solved the issue with Sans, he seemed so genuine when he told you that you and him could just be friends; that he would cease his creepy behavior… but maybe you assumed wrong.

_Why are you making excuses for him? You know… you **know**…_

“Have you called the police?” Alyssa inquired.

“I… I made a report a few weeks ago, but they never called me back.” Your stomach churned at the memory, and you began to pick at your fingernails. “I guess I don’t blame them… I don’t have any proof; I don’t even know for sure who it is – only suspicions. I _know _he broke into my apartment, but he didn’t steal anything, barely moved anything. It’s almost like he wasn’t even here.”

_They would just call you crazy again if you told… _

“Then… how do you know that he broke in?” Alyssa questioned, “It’s, um - it’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s just…”

Growing even more queasy at the thought of _Alyssa _potentially not believing you on top of all the others, you frantically explained the evidence you had of a break in… but you didn’t dare tell your friend exactly _which _things were open on your computer. No one needed to know about that part of your life. The fact that your stalker now knew only made things so much worse.

“I think you should call the police again… but if you don’t want to, I won’t make you.” Alyssa tucked a strand of fuzzy black hair behind her ear and smiled. “Well, anything you need, I’m here." She abruptly clasped her hands together, making you jump. “But let’s stop talking about this. We could play a game or do something to take your mind off of it… or you could just sleep and I’ll make sure no one bothers you - god knows you look like you need it.”

“I… no… I wouldn’t make you stay here for that…”

Although the offer was so tempting - soothing even… it almost made you forget about your anxiety, your fear, your paranoia…

Before you knew it, your lids grew heavy and a rogue yawn escaped your lips.

Alyssa let out a small laugh. “You sleep. I have some homework I need to do anyways for my statistics class,” she stood and push you onto your back, making you fall onto the mattress with an undignified ‘oomph’. “Just let me borrow your desk to do it here and I’ll stay all night if you want.”

You wanted to protest; wanted to complain. You didn’t want to inconvenience Alyssa in such a way, especially since you had been such a terrible friend to her as of late. But the mattress felt magical under your body, like a heavenly cloud. So soft… so inviting…

“Ok…” you sighed, lids unintentionally shutting.

You felt Alyssa’s weight leave the bed as you settled into the mattress, cuddling against your comforter. It was so warm…

Yet… when you shut your eyes all you saw was… white bones… glowing demonic red… claws sharp enough to shred you into pieces…

A shiver assaulted your body.

“Hey… Alyssa?”

“Hm?”

“What do you think of… monsters?”

“Oh, I don’t know, their arrival has sure caused a lot of chaos in the world. Sometimes I think it would have been better if they never showed up at all.”

“Yeah…” With the recent events with Sans, you shared that thought…

In fact, a part of you just wanted validation that you weren’t a bad person… that you weren't a _racist_ for feeling suspicious of him still.

“But I feel bad for them all the same… think about it, all those years they were locked up underneath us? Apparently, our ancestors did that…” Alyssa spoke as she rummaged through her bag. “But all in all? I think they’re fine, I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them. I heard some monsters hate humans, but I haven’t experienced that yet. I suppose they have a right to hate us, considering what we did to them…”

_Oh…_

“You know it’s funny,” Alyssa continued, “Those racist humans are so scared of monsters, think they’re evil. I thought about it because I saw this really creepy looking skeleton standing outside the complex when I came in...”

Your eyes shot back open.

“But of course, he wasn’t dangerous - just smiled at me and continued on his way.” Alyssa stood and walked over to the desk, setting a binder down before looking at you. “Guess we always forget that other humans can be scarier than anything sometimes, huh?”

However, you failed to comprehend the last sentence, still stuck on the first. The feeling of being smothered suddenly overcame you.

_A skeleton outside of your apartment… _

The realization hit you like a ton of bricks.

_How could you be so naïve. _

“Alyssa… what did the skeleton look like?” You almost didn’t want to know; didn’t even need to know. You already figured out the truth.

“Oh, well, pretty scary actually. Had this almost bloody looking red eye, and uh, this horrendous crack in his skull. Looked painful, kinda felt bad for him,” Alyssa responded as she sat down at the desk. “Why?”

Your breath hitched, stomach churning, Alyssa’s words seeming to grow more distant with each one she spoke.

“No reason…”

Alyssa merely quirked a brow at you before shrugging and opening up the binder.

There was no doubt in your mind now, no ‘kind side’ of you giving him the benefit of the doubt and believing that he was actually telling the truth when he agreed to back off.

It was him all along, always him following you… watching you. It was him that broke into your apartment and went through your things…

It was always him and he had never stopped.

You felt constricted, claustrophobic, like a thousand-pound weight was crushing your chest, palms growing clammy and that all-too familiar lump forming in your throat.

Friends…? Yeah right. You were a fool for trusting him; you were a fool for making _excuses _for him.

Monster or not, you were _done _dealing with this.

It was time for you to take matters into your own hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!! <3


	10. Asphyxiation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warning: ** Violence and non-consensual touching in this chapter.

** **

The day felt like a surreal daze, some kind of messed up dream that shouldn’t be real, but yet it was. All too real. A living nightmare, in fact.

You wanted to scream, you wanted to bury your face in your hands and allow your vocal cords to let loose. You truly were reaching your breaking point. It seemed as though each time you started to get your life back on track, something terrible would happen again. First, it was your parents’ untimely death two years prior, then it was your break up with Jake eight months ago, and now, just as you thought you were finally getting yourself back together, this happened.

You had experienced grief, heartbreak, loneliness and now… _fear_ that was ruling over your life like a merciless dictator.

As you stood at the counter of the currently empty bar, rigidly polishing a glass, you _knew _it was coming. You _knew _it was getting to that time of night, where Sans would be strolling in any minute.

And you dreaded it.

It was certainly no coincidence that, when you had asked your coworker today, you were told that Sans did not show up yesterday. Of course he didn’t, because he knew that you wouldn’t be there.

The environment around you felt as though it wasn’t even real, the dimly lit surroundings a blur, the sounds of the kitchen and people chatting amongst themselves so distant and far away. You felt like a phantom of yourself as you mechanically moved around the bar, looking for anything to clean or restock to distract yourself.

But you were determined that, when Sans inevitably showed up, you would remain composed. You wouldn’t let him see your fear, your exhaustion, your anxiety… you wouldn’t let him know that he was having such an impact on your life. You _wouldn’t let him win_…

The only one in control of your life was _you. _

No one else. Not Jake, not Sans… _no one else. _

When he arrived, you would be cordial, and you would take careful note of anything even remotely disturbing that he did. And the moment he left, you would talk to Cameron with the evidence you gathered and get him banned from the restaurant for good.

… And hopefully, enough evidence for a restraining order as well. You had the thumb drive he had left behind in your apartment… you just needed a little more… then they would _have _to believe you. You would shove it in their faces if that’s what it took.

_Just one night_. One night to drag any creepiness you could from him, and then… this should be over. One step closer to banishing him from your life completely.

Thirty minutes passed, maybe an hour… and then you felt that dreadfully familiar shift in the atmosphere, the air growing heavy around you. Subconsciously, you _knew _what that indicated. When you turned around, Sans was there, sitting in his usual spot, dilated red-eye quivering in its socket as he eyed you.

Your eyes widened, body tensing. You had told yourself you would remain collected, but _god _that was so much more difficult when you were actually faced with the reality of it. You had not expected him to just… pop into existence like this… you didn’t even see him come through the front door - how did he get here?

And he… he looked more than worse for wear; his current state surely contended with your own disheveled appearance. Like you, he appeared to have dark bags under his eyes, purple and black in appearance and almost making his sockets sag. The crack in his head was undoubtedly larger, a small shard of it hanging by a mere splinter threatening to fall into the gaping void of his skull. Dried, red flakes coalesced around it, staining his ivory bones. A similarly dark red substance also discolored the fabric of his blue coat.

Was that… blood? You didn’t even know skeletons could bleed.

Or… or… was it someone else’s blood…?

The thought made you shiver.

Sans honed in on you, ruby eye constricting as his mouth tightened into a humorless grin. He sunk his head into his propped-up hand, phalanges wrapping around his empty socket and scratching the edges of it, making a cringe-inducing grating sound. His other hand moved to the hood of his coat and flicked the flakes of dried blood off of it.

He was enjoying this clearly. Enjoying your discomfort, enjoying the effect he had on you. Surely he had to be some kind of _psychopath _to get off on your fear like this.

Nonetheless, you steeled yourself. Shoving your hand in your pocket, you covertly turned on your phone and the audio recording app you had downloaded. You swallowed, approaching him and offering him a fake smile. You would let him think that you don’t know… that you’re still under the impression that you and him would just be friends. “Hey Sans, how are you? The usual?”

Sans openly gaped at you, crimson light engorging to fill its socket and smile falling... but it didn’t last long, and just like that the grin returned. “you have the prettiest smile,” he complimented lowly, pupils trained on your lips. “yeah, guess the usual is fine.”

You hated the way your cheeks burned his compliment. He was the _last_ person that you wanted to be complimented by. Your stomach swirled and clenched, a feeling of unease coursing through your veins. “Sure, I’ll get that ready for you now… and, uh… thanks.”

Sans hummed, claws rasping once against the wood of the counter. You did your best to ignore him as you busied yourself with punching his order into the computer. You did your best to disregard him as you bent down to grab his drink from the refrigerator, more than feeling his eyes burning into you and trailing down your backside.

When you turned to hand him his beer, purposefully placing it far enough away where you would not be required to move within reach of him, you noticed that he was staring at you in a way that could be described as longingly. His ruby hue danced softly, facial bones relaxed. His claws thrummed gently against the counter while his body slouched lazily over it.

However, he made no move to grab his drink.

And in an instant, for no apparent reason, that relaxed demeanor vanished. Bones tensing and jaw hitching into a tight grin, his blown-out light flashed before shrinking into a slit. “does your _boyfriend_ ever compliment you like that?”

“Um…” You had forgotten in the midst of your recent rollercoaster of emotions that you had told him that lie. “Yes, he does sometimes.”

You averted your eyes from his, purposefully turning away and grabbing a dirty glass from the sink to wash. Anything to busy yourself.

This certainly hasn’t been your smoothest lie.

Hopefully he would buy it.

His thrumming against the table grew noticeably louder, more aggressive. With each tap of his claws, you felt your anxiety penetrate deeper into your mind, slowly melting away your confidence. The air around you had grown so dense that it was almost suffocating.

You wanted more than anything to melt into the floor and just _disappear. _

_It’s just this one night_, you reminded yourself. One more night and you would never have to deal with him at work ever again, and hopefully never see him again period.

“have you never been curious about what it would be like to be with a monster?”

You nearly dropped the glass you were polishing, mouth falling agape at his exceedingly bold comment. 

Sans laughed at you before shrugging. “when we first met, remember i told you that i could do _anything _you humans could do with magic?” he cooed suggestively.

Your eyes widened, which only prompted his grin to stretch wider.

“well, that really does mean _anything _and i definitely have a _bone _for you, hehe.”

He chuckled as you tore your gaze from him.

Blood rushing to your face, bile stung your esophagus as you were overcome with the sudden urge to vomit at his blatantly unsubtle suggestion.

Admittedly, for a time after you had first met him and weren’t immensely creeped out by him, you had wondered if skeletons like Sans had… anything down there. That curiosity dissipated very quickly, and now you certainly had no desire to see, let alone experience what kind of ‘equipment’ he has.

“I, uh, n-no I’ve never really been curious about that…” you stammered, unwilling to turn around and meet the gaze you could feel boring into your back. “I-I mean, I have a boyfriend, so that would be cheating anyways.”

“a shame,” Sans hummed, tapping his claws against the table. “i could show you a _really _good time.”

You sighed, gripping the glass and closing your eyes. _Just ignore him, just ignore him_.

Why couldn’t he just leave you alone?!

“and cheating? don’t kid yourself, you seem just the type that would be a dirty cheater. don’t pretend you have the moral high ground here,” Sans added on with a click of his tongue.

Your lip twitched, teeth grinding together, muscles tensing and beginning to shake; your disgust morphing into anger. You could handle his flirting, his creepy behavior, his lewd comments – but how _dare _he act like _he _was some kind of arbiter of your morality. He knew _nothing _about you.

Your upper lip shifted up into a snarl and you slammed the glass onto the table, ready to whip around and give him a taste of just how much of a pushover you _really were_, all of your promises to yourself to not make a scene at work flying out the window.

However, as soon as you turned, you noticed a chattering young couple make their way over to the bar and take their seats two down from Sans.

You exhaled harshly through you nose, sparing a glare towards Sans before making your way over to the two newly arrived customers. “Welcome!” you chirped at them, smiling as though you hadn’t just been about ready to scream your head off at a different customer. “Can I get you started with anything?”

You grabbed two menus from under the counter and handed them to the couple. “Or do you need a few minutes to decide?”

The young man rubbed the shoulders of who appeared to be his girlfriend. “Babe, do you know what you want or do you need to look at the menu?”

“Give us a minute?” The woman asked before opening up the menu and beginning to look it over, her boyfriend reading it over her shoulder.

Your brow twitched as you watched the couple. They looked so happy together, and all you had was… an ex-boyfriend who hated you and a creepy skeletal monster that stalked you.

_Fuck them. _

“No problem,” you murmured before turning towards the sink, certain that if you continued to watch them any longer you would turn green with envy.

You spared a daring glance at Sans as you passed him. He looked nothing short of angry – bones tensed, jaw tight, ruby eye narrowed and pulsating in a way that simply made him seem _dangerous_. His eye lights were trained on the couple that had just sat down. You tensed, tearing your gaze away when his pupils abruptly flashed back to you.

You again busied yourself with washing the drinking glasses, having washed the same three glasses about five times by now. This went on until the young couple called you over, indicating that they were ready to order. The entire time you were taking their order, you could see Sans staring at you out of the corner of your eye, rigid bones unmoving and that wide, unfriendly grin ever-present.

_God…_

Just the sheer feeling of his gaze on you nearly paralyzed you, making your skin _crawl_. Throat tightening, the moment you received the order from the couple, you immediately left for the kitchen to check on Sans’ food, squirming to escape his gaze.

However, when you returned with his finished food order, he was nowhere in sight.

All that was left at his seat was his untouched beer and a twenty-dollar bill that he had apparently left to cover the cost.

You exhaled a relieved yet shaky sigh, setting the food basket down and moving to discard the now-warm beer and ring up the order with the money he had left.

But you couldn’t help but think…

Why? Why had he left so abruptly? You weren’t complaining, happy to no longer have to deal with him. But it was so unlike him… he typically stayed until closing.

Maybe he finally got the message and was planning to leave you alone now?

_No…_

You thought that before, and your generous assumption turned out to be woefully inaccurate.

A shiver crawled up your spine.

It didn’t feel… right…

-———-

The night had come and gone, the restaurant finally reaching closing time. The evening had passed by significantly faster once Sans had left. The couple that had been there turned out to be rather nice, despite the jealousy that they invoked in you. Admittedly they didn’t tip the best, but they were kind people. You certainly preferred serving them over Sans.

Your experience with Sans had taught you – good tips aren’t everything. You conceded to being greedy in the past… but you learned your lesson.

You had managed after your shift to pull aside Cameron and explain to him your ‘issues’ with Sans. At first, he had been a little skeptical, wary to go so far as to ban a monster from the restaurant out of fear that it may result in a loss of business. It was frustrating, but… you sympathized with his reluctance… you were unaware of how many other monsters Sans knew, but if word got out that a supposedly monster-friendly establishment banned a monster customer… well… it might not bode well for its species-tolerant image.

Thankfully, with the assistance of Brian vouching for you and the recorded evidence on your phone, Cameron relented and agreed to have a ‘talk’ with Sans next time he attempted to visit the restaurant.

“Thanks Cameron, I appreciate it,” you said as you stepped out of his office.

Cameron gave you a small nod. “No problem, just stay safe,” he responded, “I promised Brian I’d meet with him after you. You don’t mind waiting for a bit, do you?”

“Nope, not at all.” Your eyes settled on Brian, who was waiting outside of Cameron’s office. He grinned at you before pushing himself off the wall and you nodded towards the main dining area. “I’ll just, uh, be out here until you guys are done.”

"Gonna ask for a raise," Brian whispered to you as he shuffled past.

You gave a reassuring smile, mouthing 'good luck'. The least you could do was root for him since he helped you out, he really has had your back since this all started...

The door shut behind the two men and you sighed, exiting the hallway into the dining area of the restaurant. 

Despite having assisted with closing for the past two years, it was always surreal to you to see the building after hours. The lights shut off and darkness enveloping the room… chairs sitting atop the tables… spotless floors… and perhaps the strangest of all, the dead silence. No customers chatting, no clanking kitchen noises or music, just… silence.

Approaching the door, you stared outside through the smudged glass. The night was clear with scattered stars adorning the sky, just vaguely illuminating the otherwise dark parking lot. A faint breeze whistled through the cracks, brushing lightly against the exposed skin of your arms.

You really needed to start bringing a better coat. It was getting cold outside.

Beginning to drift off into your thoughts, you were yanked back to reality when you swore you saw movement outside… just behind Cameron’s car… was that… a person?

But in the blink of an eye, the figure was gone.

You shook your head. Did you just imagine it?

Stepping closer to the door and squinting your eyes, you searched the parking lot for any signs someone was there. A thief…? A homeless person?

It couldn’t be Sans… could it?

Your heart rate sped up, your body growing numb.

Something in the air felt… off…

...

... Something felt _wrong..._

And then you felt a rough hand grab your shoulder and dig into your clothing. You nearly jumped out of your skin in shock, yelping.

Another hand clasped around your mouth and tightly held your jaw shut, inhibiting you from making anything more than a muffled whine.

You tried to scream but before any noise could escape you, your world began to spin. You were thrust into darkness, voided black… nothingness. And then… it faded, and the surroundings of an almost equally dark alleyway came into view. The chill breeze of the outside air assaulted your body, creating goosebumps along your exposed skin. Hit with a sudden bout of vertigo, you felt an inexplicable urge to throw up. But the hand smothering you prevented you from even opening your mouth to gag.

You didn’t need to see his face to know who it was, the undeniably familiar skeletal hand wrapped around your face more than giving it away. The white bones of his fingers were marred with dirt, dried blood, grime and god knows what else, a putrid smell filling your nostrils that told you that he likely hadn’t washed his hands in some time. Your heart thundered, breaths escaping you in quick, shallow pants that whizzed through the bony gaps of his hand and condensed into visible vapor in the cool air.

Panic hitting you, you began to struggle; trying to jerk away. One hand dug for the pepper spray in your purse and the other clawing frantically at the bony hand clasped around your mouth. Stomping your feet, you tried to mimic what you had learned in your self-defense class – hoping to catch his… grind into his shins, maybe startle him into loosening his grip so you could escape.

It didn’t work…

Sans merely chuckled at your disposition, leaning in close to you from behind. You froze, your struggling ceasing when you felt the hardened bones of his rib cage press up against your back and the warmth of his breath cascade over your ear.

It was as though everything had paused in this moment…

Outside of the whistling wind and distant sounds of city traffic, silence filled the air…

Was this it? Was this how it would end for you? Was he going to drag you deeper into the alley and kill you in revenge for rejecting him?

Or… would he rape you first?

Tears prickled your eyes as you simultaneously feared but accepted your inevitable fate. You prayed that your coworkers would come bursting through the door to save you. Cameron said he wouldn’t be long, right? This alley had to be the same one that was right outside your workplace… they should be able to find you, right?

…

But nobody came.

You choked out a sob, muffled by his hand.

“shhh…” he cooed, voice falsely sweet as he massaged your shoulder with his free hand. “i won’t hurt ya… just wanna talk.”

You flinched as he leaned in closer, teeth centimeters from your ear...

“if i let go, you have to promise not to scream…”

You nodded frantically, eyeing him out of your peripheral vision as you squirmed in his grasp. Sans grinned, exhaling a huff before releasing you. You stumbled away, whipping around to face him and taking in deep, ragged breaths.

You once again began to desperately search for the pepper spray in your purse, eventually grabbing the small bottle and holding it out threateningly in front of you. “S-stay back! Don’t come any closer!”

Sans’ grin tightened, stretching almost impossibly wide, pupils constricting and crimson hue shrinking into a small speck. Tucking his hands into his coat pockets, shoulders hunched low and eyes never leaving yours, he began to stalk slowly around you.

You followed him the whole time, turning in place with him and holding his staring contest. You tried to remain strong, bold… but you couldn’t help but quail beneath his heavy gaze, the hand clutching the pepper spray beginning to tremble.

Sans huffed out a short laugh, coming to a stop in front of you. “gonna do something with that, sweetheart…?”

Your lip twitched, curling into a snarl and flashing him your teeth, a low growl escaping your throat. You were _done _with his games. You stomped towards him, hand still outstretched with the pepper spray and more than ready to use it.

However, Sans was quicker - ruby eye blazing with wisps of blue, he lazily flicked his finger upwards. The canister was effortlessly yanked from your grasp and tossed unceremoniously to the side.

“that wasn’t very nice,” Sans said with a ‘tsk’.

You froze, choking on your own breath as you stared at your now empty but still outstretched hand. Face paling, your previous burst of anger and courage drained from you in an instant.

And that shock quickly transformed into pure fear as Sans began to advance on you, forcing you to backpedal until your back scraped against the hard, cold, brick wall.

Sans slammed his hands against the wall on either side of you, caging you between him and the side of the building. He gazed down at you, dim pupils flickering, engorged ruby eye near blinding in the darkness.

You wanted to scream, cry, shout for help, or even try to reason with him, but your voice was lost in your throat, vocal cords strangled in fear as though you had gone mute. You merely cowered silently before him, the sounds of your galloping heart and ragged, quick breaths all you could hear. Although he really was not _that_ much taller than you, you had never felt so small as you did right now beneath his gaze.

Sans cocked his head. “what’s wrong precious?” he cooed, “falling for me so hard that i’ve left you… speechless?”

You shifted your tongue, mouth and throat growing dry. “I…” you stammered, “I-I thought… I thought you said you would stop… that we could just be f-friends.”

Sans chuckled darkly at you, leaning in close and bringing a hand up to stroke your cheekbone, claws slowly trailing down your jawline and onto your neck. You could feel each of his hot, excited breaths tickling your cheeks. “hehe, you’re right, i did say that…” he whispered, “i lied.”

His pupils voided in his sockets. “just like you lied about having a boyfriend.” 

…

“i _really _don’t like being lied to.”

A chill prickled your neck as the danger of his words settled within you. Despite the quietness of his voice, it was clear that he was _furious_. Your instinct urged you to _run…_ but you couldn’t will yourself to move - the way that his dirty, sharp claws rested against your carotid artery acting as more than just an idle threat. He almost seemed to be savoring the way your heartbeat pulsed through your neck and against his fingers, coarse bones rubbing against your skin.

“but i can forgive you…” he continued, voice softening as he stroked your neck. “if you apologize, and give me a chance…”

“Please, _please _just stop,” you begged, pushing against his broad chest… he didn’t budge.

Sans clicked his tongue. “heh, that’s nice, but not an apology.”

You flushed at the way his pupils glinted at your pleading, suddenly overcome with the urge to vomit. _Oh my god, he’s **sick**._ There is no _way _you would apologize to him, not when he seemed to be _getting off _on it.

“What did I ever do to you?” you ground out, “why me?”

Sans stared at you, heated gaze threatening to burn a hole through your head.

And then he laughed. And laughed… and laughed…

“because i love you,” he remarked simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “you’re not allowed to turn me down… you’re not allowed to not love me back… you’re my _soulmate_.”

Your lip twitched, hands clenching. _Love you? **Soulmate**? _Was this some kind of cruel joke? Was this guy _actually_ crazy?

“You don’t even _know _me,” you hissed under your breath.

His grip on your neck tightened, claws pressing dangerously into your skin. Pupils narrowing, he leaned in close; so close that his teeth were mere inches from your nose.

“i know that you’re a _whore_,” he whispered, the heat of his breath brushing uncomfortably against your face.

And you… you knew what he was referring to.

You lost it. The cruel reminder of his invasion into your private life more than sending you over the edge. You didn’t care if he dug his claws into your throat and ripped out your larynx. All you could feel in this moment was white, hot anger. Before you knew it, your hand was stinging with pain, having collided harshly with the solid bone of his cheek.

His grip around your neck loosened enough for you to smack his hand away. You ducked under his arm and scrambled away. Stumbling several feet away from him, you whipped around and shot him a glare.

You were more than satisfied when you saw that he was still standing in the same spot, a single skeletal hand gently touching the spot you had slapped him. You had expected that he would be angry, but he appeared more shocked than anything… maybe even a little hurt.

_Good_. It made the biting throb in your hand worth it - It did _not _feel good to slap bone directly.

“Fuck you!” you shouted as his gaze leveled on you again. “You have _no right _to judge me you creepy fucking _stalker_! You crazy _psychopath_! I know you’ve been in my house; I know you’ve been following me. And you think that _I _should apologize?” You scoffed bitterly as the words continued to spill out of your mouth like vomit. “_Fuck. That._”

Sans remained silent as you went on your tirade, motionless as a statue. His eye sockets were voided of any light at all, even the ruby hue of his left eye absent.

“And what? You think you _love me _or something? You think I’m your _soulmate_?” Your eyelid twitched. “_Why_? Because I was nice to you at work?” You threw your head back and laughed, surely going into some kind of exhaustion induced craze at this point. “You must be stupider than you look. Don’t you realize that it was just an act? That I was just _manipulating _you? Because _I know _idiots like you tip like crazy the moment a girl smiles at them.”

You paused your snarling to exhale harshly, taking a moment to breathe. Sans remained idling in place, deathly quiet and motionless. “I don’t want to date you; I don’t want to fuck you; I don’t even want to be your friend. I don’t. Want. You_.” _You grated your teeth together. “I only wanted your money. But you know what? You can have it back if you want - just leave me the _fuck _alone.”

You panted raggedly once you finished your rant, continuing to glare at Sans with a venomous hatred.

He remained motionless.

Lips twitching into one more hateful snarl, you turned and began to stomp towards the exit of the alley.

_Get back inside. Get back inside and call the **fucking police. **_

But you didn’t get very far before your breath was stolen from you, the surrounding air seeming to close in and constrict you. Everything suddenly felt so… _heavy. _You tried to gasp for air, terror arising within you when you realized you _couldn’t_, your body feeling like it was being crushed as though you had been tossed into a trash compacter. You clawed at your neck desperately, trying to relieve the pressure… but there was nothing there.

It was as though gravity had increased tenfold… _dragging you down_. You tried to fight it… but you couldn’t, your knees hitting the cold, hard pavement moments later.

And then you heard him… slow, heavy footsteps… advancing on you…

You panicked internally, tears brimming at your eyes and heart thudding in wild terror. Your head began to feel fuzzy at the lack of oxygen, vision growing blurry, specks of light dancing in your field of view.

This was it. You were going to die. Asphyxiated to death in a cold, dark, dirty alleyway.

_Oh god… _

…

You didn’t want to die…

You _couldn’t_ die…

_Someone… help!_

_…_

_…_

At least you would get to see your parents again…

Your vision grew black…

But just before you passed out, you felt the pressure lift slightly. Not enough for you to be able to speak or stand, but enough to allow you to take several desperate gasps of air, your burning lungs greedily soaking up the oxygen. Your vision cleared, and Sans’ familiar black and white striped shorts came into view, a mere foot away from your face.

Throat throbbing and chest sore, you nervously met his gaze. You quailed beneath him as he glowered down at you, his left eye blazing with sparks of magic that cackled out through the fracture in his skull.

And of course, he was smiling. _Always_ smiling. That rigid grin that seemed the exact opposite of friendly.

You found yourself momentarily wishing that he had just strangled you to death, the fear of what he was going to do next overwhelming your senses.

“lookin’ a little _weak in the knees _there, sweetheart,” Sans remarked with a low chuckle as he admired your tear-streaked face. You tore your gaze from his, cheeks flushing red in humiliation. “awe, c’mon, _look at me_… i know you didn’t actually _mean _all that stuff you just said… right?”

You ignored him, continuing to stare at the ground and refusing to play into whatever kind of sick fantasy he was using you to fulfill right now. You heard him growl, noticed his hands twitching at his sides, and you couldn’t stop yourself from trembling when you saw clawed phalanges descend towards your face.

But he was interrupted when a voice called your name from the parking lot. It was Cameron’s voice. "Hey! You out here?” 

Again your name was called by a different person – definitely Brian, who then spoke in a quieter voice, "Did she go home...?"

Sans froze, and you felt fleeting hope rush through your veins, thanking every god you could think of that someone was here. Your coworkers… they were going to save you before the worst happened. But that optimism was quickly ripped away when you noticed Sans’ socket erupt with cyan out of the corner of your eyes.

You had never realized before how powerful the magic of monsters could be until just minutes ago. Sans had nearly choked you to the point of unconsciousnesswithout even making physical contact with you. Even now, his magic was still holding you firmly in place despite his attention being focused elsewhere.

If he wanted to hurt them, could a normal human even stand a chance…?

Your face paled.

Sans could _kill _them. And it would be your fault.

Your fault…

…

_Please stay away… _

But then… his magic released you and the blaze in his socket dissipated. You toppled backwards, posterior throbbing as you hit the pavement. But before you had a chance to collect your bearings, a skeletal hand grasped your shoulder and dragged you to your feet. Struggling weakly, your terrified gaze met his.

Bones tense, he glared towards the direction of your coworkers before leveling his gaze on you. “you breathe a word of this to anyone, i’ll make you regret it.” His sockets darkened, words like ice picks stabbing through your ears. “… **_got it_**?”

At your wavering gaze, his grin returned, wide and tense… one that told you that he was _far _from being right in the head. And he added on…

“we wouldn’t want anyone to get _hurt_, would we…?”

Your breath hitched in your throat, and all you could do was nod mutely in response.

He pulled you closer to him, rubbing your shoulder while using his sleeve to wipe the tears from your cheeks. “shhh, shhhh… calm down sweetheart… hey, hey… it’s alright…”

The abrupt shift in his attitude was jarring, nearly throwing you off kilter. His words could be easily interpreted as affectionate… maybe loving… like someone comforting their distressed partner…

But there wasn’t a single thing nice about them.

Once satisfied with his work, he released you and stepped back. Continuing to grin, he shot you a look that made your blood turn to ice … and then vanished into thin air... as though he was never even there, the denseness of the atmosphere lifting in his wake.

Cold realization came crashing down you and you felt like an utter fool for not realizing it earlier. How he had disappeared from behind you the first night you met him. How he was getting into your apartment. How you would sometimes see his shadow out of the corner of your eyes, but when you turned to look, there would be nothing.

How he had brought you from the safety of your workplace to this dark alleyway...

He… he made you think you were going crazy… that you were imagining it all…

But you were nothing of the sorts - it was him all along… playing tricks on you, messing with your mind…

_Sadistic freak._

_“_This isn’t funny! Where are you?!” You heard Brian’s voice shout yet again.

Footsteps grew closer from the parking lot, and Cameron added on, "Maybe she did leave."

Taking in a deep, raspy breath in vain effort to calm yourself, you stepped out of the alleyway to meet the two men.

“Sorry guys, I’m here.” You flashed both men a fake smile, trying to ignore the way your lungs burned when you spoke. Each word felt like glass was being forced down your throat. “Ready to go home now...?”

Cameron's brows furrowed. “What happened? Why were you back there?”

“You look pretty frazzled…” Brian added on. "... Are you sure you're alright?"

You took another deep breath, a meager attempt to settle your pounding heart as you came down from your adrenaline rush. Why oh why couldn't you be a better liar...

Maybe you should tell them…

Sans just _assaulted _you. He could have _killed _you.

You shouldn’t just tell your coworkers; you should call the fucking police.

…

But Sans… he warned you not to tell. He told you that he would make you _regret _it if you did, that someone might get _hurt_. What does that _mean_?

_‘we wouldn’t want anyone to get **hurt**, would we…?’ _

The words rang through your head on repeat.

If you told your coworkers… would he attack them too…? This was your problem… you couldn’t be responsible for someone else getting caught in the crossfire. You would never be able to forgive yourself.

_What should you do? What should you do? What should you do?_

Panic and uncertainty consumed you, and before you could think anything more of it, you blurted out a response, “Yeah, uh, sorry… I saw, um… a cat run into the alleyway and followed it.”

“I’m fine… sorry for worrying you guys.”

The lie left your lips, and you immediately found yourself wondering if you made the right decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope ya’ll like long chapters, because the next one is a doozy at just over 9000 words.
> 
> Thanks for reading!! <3


	11. Delirium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all are ready for this long chapter! Just about 9000 words, whew… 
> 
> As always, thank you very much for the reviews, kudos, etc. They really do give me encouragement and I cherish every single one!
> 
> ** Warning: ** This chapter contains non-consensual touching and other non-consensual elements, magical drugging, mild violence and forced substance consumption. Mind the tags <3

The last month had been…

…Not good.

You couldn’t sleep, could barely even function... the visage of Sans constant in your mind. Every time you closed your eyes, you would see that haunting red eye_feel _the pressure of his magic on your chest -_suffocating you. _

Even weeks later… your lungs still burned.

But like an intimidated witness, you hadn’t breathed a word about the incident to anyone, too terrified of what the possible repercussions might be.

_‘we wouldn’t want anyone to get _ ** _hurt_ ** _, would we…?’_

His words looped in your mind like a broken record.

You couldn’t… you couldn’t be responsible for anyone being harmed because of _your _problem. You knew what he was capable of. 

You lived in constant fear every second you were at work that he was going to show up and murder everyone at the restaurant. With how he seemed to teeter on the edge of insanity, it seemed a possibility. He could snap and kill everyone, and it would be your fault…

But he never did.

In fact, you hadn’t seen him since that night. You doubted that Cameron even had the chance to talk to Sans about the ban… he just… stopped showing up.

Someone less perceptive might have thought that he had finally given up.

But you weren’t going to give him the benefit of the doubt again. Not after what he did to you.

Not long after, you began to notice things moving around in your apartment. Small at first – a pot misplaced, a cupboard left open, a random sock on the floor, pillows rearranged, bed un-made, milk left out… things that could be easily mistaken as careless errors you made yourself.

But you knew better.

And... it got worse. A week ago, you had come home and found the door and window unlocked; even though you had been _certain _you had locked them. With how paranoid you had been, you typically checked the locks two or three times before leaving.

There was no way it was you forgetting to do it.

A few nights ago, you had returned home from grocery shopping and found your laptop open and the scandalous photos from your panty selling days plastered everywhere on the desktop. One of them was your background – which had previously been a photo of your cat before you had left for the store, and every single one was opened up in a separate window.

You promptly went in and deleted all of them after that.

The first time your computer had been broken into, you had changed the passwords to all of your accounts and shredded the notepad that contained said passwords. But somehow, he figured out the new password and had intruded on your laptop _again_.

It made you feel so violated. As though you had no privacy… no choice over what you chose to share or not.

You knew it was Sans, you _knew it_. There was no one else that was capable of this or had a reason to do this… except him.

He could teleport, and while you didn’t know the limits of his teleportation, it was clear that he was using magic to get into your apartment. There was never any evidence of a break in, so that was the only explanation.

In fact, you suspected that he could port to you right this second if he wanted to as you sat on the bed as vulnerable as day and do god knows what.

But he never did.

It was as though he was just trying to drive you insane.

...

It was working…

…

But you had to shoulder this alone. 

You couldn’t count how many times you picked up your phone and contemplated calling the police, only to set it back down.

You were too scared.

A _coward. _

…

However, this morning was the absolute last straw for you, when you were jarred awake from yet another nightmare and found the window you slept next to left wide open, the chill morning breeze rushing in, brushing gently against your bangs and licking at your sweat-drenched skin, the musty polluted odor of the city invading your nostrils...

You never, ever slept with your window open, for multiple reasons: your cat could escape, someone could break in, the weather was unpleasant, the city smelled bad… the list went on. And now, with the overbearing presence of your skeletal stalker, there’s no way it was you ‘accidentally’ leaving it open. 

Thankfully, Jingles did not try to jump out. You exhaled a sigh of relief when you found him sleeping on the end of the bed.

However, your relief was short-lived when the implications of the window being open dawned on you...

It meant that Sans had been in your apartment _while_ _you were sleeping_…

Moved around you to open the window while you were in bed, _he was right next to you_.

… What else could he have done to you, while you slept?

…

You shut the window before sinking back onto the bed, pulling your knees against your chest and rocking yourself. Tears stinging at the corners of your eyes, you felt sick to your stomach, as though you could lose the contents of it onto the bed at any moment.

You decided that you would not be able to survive at work today. Not with your state currently, not with _this _happening… this… this _torture. _Unfolding yourself from your crumpled position, you reached a shaky hand out to grab your cellphone from the bed stand. Your gut roiled with unease as you stared at the black screen, the faint reflection of your sunken face and terrified gaze staring back at you.

You unlocked the phone and texted Cameron that you would be out sick.

You _couldn’t _come in today, not with what had happened. They would just have to survive without a bartender if need be.

You didn’t even look when your phone buzzed, undoubtedly indicating that Cameron had responded. You didn’t care. Work was the last thing on your mind today.

…

What should you do?

Sans warned you not to tell anyone that one night in the alley… 

But… you couldn’t let things continue to go on as they were.

Sans was only growing bolder and if he was willing to enter your apartment while you were inside of it …

… What would he do _next_?

The thought made you shudder, and you did not intend to allow it to happen to find out.

Maybe... he wouldn’t know if you told someone if you did so _quietly. _

You _needed _help.

You grabbed your phone, clicking away the text you had received from Cameron without reading and hovering your hand over your contacts. You contemplated calling your landlady… but your landlady hated you. Well, your landlady seemed to hate everyone – quite the grumpy old woman.

But maybe… if you explained the situation, maybe… just maybe… something could be done. Better security? Better locks?

What kind of security system was even strong enough to keep someone like Sans out?

You had read your fair share of fantasy and science fiction-based books that included all sorts of otherworldly and magical elements – spells, mages, dragons, aliens, _monsters_…

Little did you know, _real _monsters and magic were vastly different from what you had always imagined in your books. But… in many of the books that contained magic, there was always some kind of spell that could negate other magical abilities.

Did monster magic work like that? Was there something you could do, some device you could acquire, that could negate Sans’ magic? Maybe another monster more powerful than him - if such a monster even existed, could do _something _to help protect you.

Surely Sans wouldn’t hurt a fellow monster...

You shook your head. Even if such magic did exist… you didn’t know any monsters like that. The only other monster you knew relatively well was Aaron, and you had never seen him perform any magic that was even remotely comparable to what Sans was capable of.

It was all just… wishful thinking… you too lost in the idle fantasy of your novels to handle the reality of the situation.

It left you wondering how humans managed to beat monsters in the first place back during the first war. They were larger on average and often physically stronger, _and_ they had magic. You presumed other monsters with abilities as varied and powerful as Sans existed… so… how?

What did humans have over monsters? 

You only wished you knew… then maybe you would be able to stand up for yourself.

You continued to stare at the screen of your phone, it having gone dark again as a result of your idling. Your finger hovered over the ‘home’ button as you considered your options.

You really should just call the police… no one else would be able to help you. 

... But the police didn’t take you seriously before…

_…_

... Sans warned you not to tell…

_…_

No…

No…

You had to _try. _

You couldn’t go on like this for much longer… everyday you could feel yourself edging closer to your breaking point.

He was going to end up killing you at this point: either from traumatizing you to the point of a heart attack or just flat out breaking in and murdering you himself. 

You couldn’t go on living like this.

You couldn’t continue to just roll over like a submissive _dog _and _take it. _

You… you had evidence this time, you had the recording on your phone! You actually _knew _who it was with absolute certainty. They had to believe you.

For what seemed like the dozenth time in the past month, you searched the police line on your phone and hovered your thumb over the dial button.

And this time, you called.  
  


————---------

_ _

Hours had passed. Six hours to be exact.

You understood that your call wasn’t an emergency, that you lived in the city and the police were constantly busy with other calls. That your situation wasn’t urgent, and your life wasn’t immediately in danger.

But you really hoped that they would come earlier than this.

You spent the last hour anxiously pacing around your small apartment, fidgeting with your fingers and biting at your nails… your previously well-groomed fingernails were now jagged and short, ground down to splinters with how much you had picked at them.

You hadn’t been able to bring yourself to accomplish anything today… hadn’t eaten, hadn’t showered… you hadn’t even changed out of your bedclothes. You could only wait, bouncing back and forth between nervous pacing and idling atop the bed while your cat watched you curiously from the computer chair. 

Both you and Jingles jumped simultaneously when a resounding knock came from the front door. Your cat launched himself from the chair and dashed under the bed and you paused, exhaling a shaky breath before moving to answer.

Approaching the flimsy wooden barrier, you stood on your toes, your unfortunate height just _barely _allowing you to reach the peephole. You let out a sigh of relief when you saw two human males in familiar blue uniforms standing outside of the door.

You unlocked and ripped open the door to face them. And you weren’t certain if it was the abruptness of your action, your disheveled appearance, or the undoubtedly desperate, crazed look in your eyes, but the two men appeared rather taken aback the moment they settled their eyes on you.

One of them was rather tall, brown-chestnut colored hair and clearly middle-aged, slight wrinkles adorning his worn and sun-kissed face. The other officer was younger, maybe only a few years older than you, a tad shorter than his partner and had curly, somewhat unkempt, sandy blonde hair.

“Good afternoon ma’am,” the older officer greeted while flashing his badge to you. “My name is Officer Swanson and this is Officer Porter.” He gestured to his partner after re-pocketing his badge. “We are responding to a call you placed earlier today regarding a break in?”

“Yes, yes, come in please,” you urged, ushering them in with a gesture of your hand.

The two police officers entered your apartment. The younger officer, Officer Porter, inspected the surroundings while Officer Swanson withdrew a notepad from his pocket, his gaze meeting yours as he poised himself to write. “So… can you explain to us what happened? What has been stolen?”

That was all the prompting you needed, and you spilled _everything _to them. You told them about Sans: how you suspected that he had been following you, him breaking into your apartment, about that night that he assaulted you after work…

It was a massive relief to finally vent all of the various, terrifying occurrences with the skeletal monster to another; especially another that could potentially _do something _about it. It was as though a tremendous weight was lifted off of your shoulders, nearly bringing you to tears with gratitude.

You didn’t know what you expected when you finally finished talking, the faces of the two officers stony and unreadable as you frantically recounted your experiences.

But it was certainly _not _for Officer Swanson to raise a skeptical eyebrow at you, before mumbling out a distrusting, “Really?”

_What?_

“Yes, really!” you exclaimed, gut roiling as dreadful realization came crashing down on you. “You… you don’t believe me?”

Officer Swanson sighed and rubbed his brow. “It’s not that we don’t believe you, it’s just that there’s not much to make a case off of here.”

_No... no, no, no..._

They _had _to help you. You knew it was a death sentence for you if they didn’t. 

“No signs of forced entry, nothing stolen, nothing broken,” the older officer rambled off.

…

“And the assault… I dunno, it seems like it could’ve just been a misunderstanding, if it actually even happened,” he added on with casual skepticism.

Were they calling you… a _liar?_

_No..._

This had to be some kind of nightmare. Sans had almost _killed you _that night, and they didn’t believe you.

“What do you _mean _‘if it actually even happened’?!” you challenged, eyes widening in disbelief. _This can't be real._ “It happened! I was there! He almost _killed_ me! I-I recorded how he was acting towards me just before it happened, look-”

You snatched your phone, pulling up the recording app only to find… it was _gone_…

The recording… it was _just _there yesterday…

…

_Sans._

“An assault like that should have been reported right away.” Officer Swanson sighed and mumbled something unintelligible under his breath while scratching his head. “Listen, I know Sans. His brother volunteers for the station…” 

The younger officer moved towards the kitchen to answer his radio as static buzzing came through. The older officer remained, and continued his lecture…

“He’s a nice guy, I just can’t imagine him doing something like that.” He paused for a moment, sending a judgmental look your way. “And not to mention… we have files on all monsters living in the city, describing their magical abilities and such. They all have to register with us when they move here… get interviewed to make sure they’re safe, law-abiding citizens. Nothing in Sans’ file describes the magic you claim he used.... it sounds like you’re just making this up to get the guy in trouble. We’ve been trying very hard to keep the environment fair and friendly for all citizens, including monsters. and people like you are not helping with that.”

All you could do was stand there, mouth agape and eyes wide in shock as you stared bewildered at the police officer. Not only was he accusing you of lying, but he’s accusing you of being _racist_? 

Sure, you had your apprehensions towards monsters: especially the scary ones like _Sans. _But you were a far cry from those racists that would make false police reports just to defame innocent monsters. 

You wanted to yell at him; scream at him for accusing you of such a thing, but the gun stowed openly next to the handcuffs at his hip told you that taking out your frustrations on a police officer was _not _a good idea.

His gaze found your phone. “Did you have a recording you wanted to show me?”

You shook as you tried your best to hold back tears, balling your hands into fists. “No…”

“Think I should also remind you ma’am that this state requires two-party consent for recording conversations. Charges could be pressed against you for this. Perhaps it's a good thing you don’t actually have it.”

You couldn’t form words… all you could do was stand there, mouth agape, as you futilely attempted to keep your composure.

Officer Porter, returned from his radio call in the kitchen and whispered something to the older officer.

“Right,” Officer Swanson affirmed to his partner before turning back to you. “Listen, uh, since there’s not really any evidence of an actual crime being committed, I’m not going to write an official report on this right now. I’ll make a note of it in the system, and if something actually happens then you can call.”

Officer Swanson followed his partner, only stopping to speak, “We have another call we have to report to, but if you really believe someone is breaking in, then I recommend installing a security system or something… to acquire actual evidence.”

You merely mumbled a forlorn “Ok.”

It didn’t even matter anymore... 

“Have a nice day, ma’am,” Officer Swanson said before exiting your apartment, the door making that all too familiar creak as he shut it behind him.

The moment they left, you dropped to your knees on the floor. A rogue tear escaped your eyes, trailing down your cheek and dripping off of your jaw.

What should you do? _What should you do?_

You couldn’t… you couldn’t just stay here and _wait _for him to assault you again. Next time, he actually could kill you.

Even just thinking about it made your lungs burn.

And if he did assault you again, and by some miracle you lived… would he even leave evidence? Last time, he had left no physical marks on you that you could have used to prove it.

You didn’t know why they didn’t believe you… you didn't know if it was corruption, or bribery, or maybe they really did just believe you were crazy and racist.

But regardless of the reason, the hard-cold truth was that they _didn’t_ believe you and as much as it terrified you… you tried not to dwell on it.

You had to remain focused on the present

You _knew _you weren’t crazy… you _knew _you were being stalked and terrorized by someone who was fully capable of assaulting and murdering you.

You needed to figure out how to get out of this. There would be time to make a complaint about the negligence of those two police officers _later. _

…

What should you do...?

…

You tried to wrack your mind for options, but everything came up blank.

\-------------------

_ _

Your keys jangled noisily as you clumsily swiped the keycard to open up the door to your hotel room. Setting your few belongings onto the small armchair, you ambled over to the bed and collapsed onto it.

You knew you really didn’t have the money for this sort of thing… especially a hotel as nice as this…

But you couldn’t spend another second in your apartment. Not with things as they are currently…

You couldn’t stay there… not with knowing in the back of your mind that Sans could be lurking in the shadows mere feet from you.

With the police unwilling to believe you… you felt like you were being held captive in your own home.

Always being watched… monitored… _controlled… _

Even if all you could afford was _one night_… it still meant one less night you had to spend in that terrible place. 

You sat back up, gaze waving around the room. It was… definitely nicer than what you were used to: a king-sized bed, a large TV, a fancy bathroom and being near the top floor, it even had a balcony. It was expensive, but expensive meant better security... expensive meant it was _safer... _

Too bad it did little to ease your nerves…

You exhaled a shaky sigh, standing and wandering the room. On the counter, you spotted a bottle of champagne paired with two wine glasses. Right… well, this was the Honeymoon Suite – the only room they had available, so this made sense…

Without giving it another thought, you popped open the champagne and filled a glass before taking a greedy gulp of it. The carbonation fizzled on your tongue, face scrunching as the bitterness of the alcohol assaulted your taste buds. Despite being a bartender, you didn’t drink that often…

You took another generous gulp.

Just one glass… just one glass to help take the edge off…

…

One glass turned into another…

And eventually, you ended up just grabbing the whole bottle and taking it to the bed with you. Collapsing onto the mattress, you nursed the bottle and turned on the TV, flipping through the channels until you stopped on a re-run of _The Office_.

…

…

_Sharp claws piercing through you… tearing through skin and muscle alike… _

_The scent of copper and putrid decay wafting through the air… _

_Demonic red filling your gaze… pulsing, writhing…_

_A crushing pressure at your chest… collapsing your lungs… the sounds of splitting bone assaulting your ears as your ribcage _ ** _c r a c k e d _ ** _…_

_No… no! You couldn’t breathe! You couldn’t breathe!_

…

…

Your eyes shot open as you gasped for air, greeted with a throbbing head and roiling stomach, your clothes soaked with cold sweat and the sounds on the TV playing far too loudly in the background. Eyes darting around, you frantically searched for anything amiss.

… But there was nothing… the hotel room appearing exactly the same…

_Just a dream… just another… nightmare…_

You took a deep breath, looking towards the TV to find the same show still playing, but now on a different episode.

… How long were you out…?

…

A gut flipping and lurching, you began to dry heave, just barely able to launch yourself from the bed and make it to the toilet before you ejected the contents of your stomach.

Gripping the toilet bowl, you continued to retch, bile stinging your esophagus and bitter saliva dripping from your mouth, your hanging hair messily sticking to your wet lips. _Ugh… disgusting…_

In your tired, bleary haze, you were initially relieved when you felt the strands of hair pulled back from your face and over your head…

… Until you felt too-hard hands brush against you, the sharp tips of claws grazing your scalp as they combed through your hair…

You shrieked, jolting up and toppling backwards as you lost your balance, frantically swatting at the hand tangled into your hair. But it only gripped harder, a searing pain shooting through your scalp as you were yanked upright.

Blurred vision coming into focus, familiar red filled your vision and you were just barely able to make out the engorged ruby eye… the ivory cracked skull… and the familiar fur-lined blue jacket of the _last _person you wanted to see in your current state.

Or in any state, really.

Wobbling slightly, your blood ran cold as you locked gazes with him. You opened your mouth to scream, only for a skeletal hand to swiftly smother you.

“hehe… overreaction much? was just helping ya out.” Sans’ jaw stretched into a tense grin, sockets darkening. “you sure screaming is the smart thing to do right now, sweetheart?”

_Oh no… oh no, no, no, no… please no… _

_How is he in here?! _ ** _How?_ **

_... _Did he know you _told_?

Despite the hand tangled into your hair, you scooted as far away from him as possible, heart pounding and breaths escaping you in quickened, smothered pants. Your lungs burned as though your trachea was made of sandpaper, instinctively fearing that he would do that horrible _thing _to you again.

... The dried blood caked onto his claws did little to calm you. 

His shrunken pupils raked over you, bones rigid and grin turning manic…

“gonna behave?”

_No!_

Nonetheless, you shakily nodded your head and the moment Sans released you, you jumped up, nearly tripping over yourself as you made a dash for the door…

_Run, run, _ ** _run. _ **

You yelped when he abruptly appeared in front of you, causing you to collide into his ribcage. Face throbbing from the impact, you stumbled backwards in a dazed stupor, only for him to wrap his arms around you and pull you flush against him.

“haven’t seen me in so long and you wanna leave already?” He pressed his teeth into your temple, inhaling, before whispering darkly, “you’re really tryin’ to _get under my skin _aren'tcha?”

“No! S-stop! Don’t t-touch me!” You beat against his chest, but quickly found it to be pointless and if anything only pissed him off based on how he tightened his grip and dug his claws into you. 

You whined when he spun you around, the surroundings seeming to flip as a bout of vertigo hit you and a dull pain nagged at your head. Grasping the hood of your sweatshirt, he dragged you deeper into the room, ignoring your struggling and protests entirely.

“diggin’ the room you picked out for us – the honeymoon one, right?” he rambled as he walked with you. “gotta say, it’s pretty - heh… _suite_.”

He chuckled at his own pun, but you found zero humor in it as you were forced to sit down at the small table, whimpering when he pushed you down by your shoulders as if telling you to _stay. _

He traced a hand along your shoulder blade before backing away. And the way he grinned at you…

_Oh god… _

Flight instinct spurring, you tried to make another run for the door… only to find that you couldn’t even _stand_. You grimaced, heart hammering as you felt that _awful_ pressure encapsulate your chest, mercilessly pressing you into the chair. Looking up at him, you noticed familiar hints of blue swirling in his left eye…

You sucked in a breath and held onto it, remembering all too well how he had nearly choked the life out of you _last time._

“champagne, huh?” Sans picked up the now empty glass bottle lying on the bed and clinked his claws against it. “someone’s been busy, hehehe… shame you didn’t save any to share with your _soulmate_.”

His red hue constricted to a speck at his last word, a rigidness returning to his bones that made your muscles lock up and throat tighten. He’s… he’s still caught up on that… thinks you and him are meant to be together_… _or some garbage like that…

_He’s crazy._

_Absolutely insane. _

You had to get out of here. 

His grin stretched, ruby light once again dilating to fill its socket. “it’s a good thing i brought more for us,” he hummed happily.

You couldn’t possibly be any more terrified by his tone.

All you could do was watch with panicked eyes as he sauntered over to the kitchenette, setting the empty bottle of champagne down before pulling two new glass bottles out of a paper bag that was definitely _not _in the room earlier. One bottle looked normal… red wine maybe? The other, however… it emanated a faint blue glow that didn’t look the least bit trustworthy.

The sounds of clanking filled the air as Sans grabbed two glasses and popped open the bottle of wine. But to you, he may as well have been sharpening knives, the otherwise normal sounds seeming nothing short of ominous.

“was pretty mad bout’ how things turned out last time,” he remarked as he began to fill each glass, the scent of strong wine filling the air.

_Yeah, me too_, you thought scathingly, knowing without a doubt that he was referring to that night in the alley where he quite nearly _murdered _you.

Your chest burned at the recollection, the pressure gripping your body suddenly becoming far more noticeable.

“but i took some time to think… to clear my _head_…” He cast a look your direction, tapping his skull… _tap… tap... tap..._

“realized that maybe i overreacted a little.”

Breath hitching, you made a small sound, fleeting hope rushing through your veins as you prayed that he _finally_ comprehended that some segment of what he was doing to you was _wrong. _

“but you’re sorry for the things you said to me, right precious?”

His grin stretched, pupils glinting as he looked down at you expectantly while setting the two full glasses of red wine onto the table.

And your hope was immediately dashed.

_Fuck no._

You absolutely meant every word of what you said that night. You wished you could say it all again. You wished you could _slap him _again for the hell he's put you through. But your sense of self-preservation warned you that vocalizing your thoughts would not be wise… and begrudgingly, you nodded your head.

Red hue flashing, he leaned down. Goosebumps prickled your skin as his hot breath wafted over your ear. “what was that, sweetheart?”

Cheeks flushing, you gritted your teeth. “Sorry,” you muttered.

Sans hummed, tussling your hair and making your face burn hotter. “knew it… my cute lil’ mate would never be so _cruel_.”

His grin grew softer… almost… _adoring_…

It made you want to throw up.

“howabout a date night to kiss and make up? we could… netflix and chill.” Sans snickered, pupils darting towards the TV before settling on you once more and none-too-covertly raking down your form.

Eyes widening, you shook your head and clutched your hands to your chest as though it might ward him off somehow.

Sans eyed you before chuckling. “heh… maybe later… got somethin’ else in mind for now.”

He pushed one of the glasses of wine closer to you before stalking back towards the kitchen, crouching down and rifling through… something…

Your eyes darted to the glass of swirling, red liquid sitting in front of you, the potent scent assaulting your nostrils. Body stiffening, you recalled a bitter memory of once catching a customer trying to drug his date’s drink… the girl was lucky you were paying attention…

It was always a risk if you didn’t have your drink constantly in sight.

Checking to ensure he wasn’t looking, you forced yourself to lean forward despite the near-suffocating pressure at your chest and swapped your wine glass with his.

Sans returned moments later with a flat wooden box clutched in hand. Slamming it onto the table in a way that made you jump, he sat down in the chair opposing yours. 

“like games?”

You didn’t respond, pursing your lips in effort to focus your attention away from the agonizing pressure on your chest, your breaths ragged and uneven as you teetered on the edge of an anxiety attack. Even his words were a challenge to hear between your throbbing head and the way your heart pounded through your ears.

Sans made a clicking sound at your silence. "heh, course ya do. you seem to _love_ playin' them with me."

Swallowing, you spared a glance down and noticed that he was setting up a chessboard. A rather fancy one at that.

“pretty cool, right? not mine though, it’s my bro’s,” Sans said proudly as he began to line up the pieces. “he collected a whole bunch of board games when we got to the surface… but this one’s my favorite.” 

Leaning back, he eyed you, crimson hue quivering in its socket. “you can go first, sweetheart.”

You cast him a suspicious glance. Was he… actually serious? He genuinely expected you to _sit here _and play _chess _with him? It did little to ease your nerves, but you convinced yourself that it was better than other things he could force you to do…

Exhaling a shaky sigh in vain effort to calm yourself, you outstretched a trembling hand to move your piece.

Sans’ grin stretched wider as he stared down at your move, and then he looked towards your wine glass…

“c’mon, _drink.”_ He nodded towards the untouched beverage. “... don’t you wanna try out what i got for you? would hurt my feelings if ya didn’t...”

Your face paled. Even with the drinks swapped, you knew that nothing good could come from consuming this foreign wine. “I-I’m not thirsty,” you stammered, shooting him a pleading look as you wracked your mind for an excuse. “Already… d-drank too much earlier - still feeling sick, haha…”

His ruby light constricted, jaw growing noticeably tense.

... And you gasped, eyes turning to saucers as you felt the pressure on your chest steadily increase…. _Please… please… no… _

Pupils vanishing, he shoved the wine glass towards you, causing the red liquid to slosh out and splash onto the table. “_**drink.”**_

Whimpering quietly, you took several desperate breaths as the pressure at your chest returned to its previous state… which was still… _uncomfortable._ Shakily, you grasped the glass and took a wary sip of it.

_It’s… it’s better than dying… _

Sans huffed, still wearing that humorless grin as he moved his own piece on the chessboard.

Silence graced between you and him for much of the game, aside from him periodically urging you to drink and you reluctantly complying. All you could _do _was cooperate, the constant, discomforting grip of his magic on your body a horrid reminder of what might happen if you didn’t. Cold beads of sweat pooled at your back as you dreaded what was to come… but you tried vainly to keep your mind focused on the present… to be smart about this and search for a way out.

But as you stared at him sitting across from you, his jaw cradled into his hand and phalanges wrapped around his empty socket… you couldn’t help but be reminded of how he looked when you watched him at the bar… how _innocent _he seemed when you first met him: a funny guy that simply had a creepy exterior.

You had genuinely thought that he was just kind of awkward, and that any apprehensions you had about him were the fault of your own mild and deeply concealed monsterphobia…

You never thought that you would end up here… fearing for your very life…

…

You were losing by a landslide at the game of chess… but it wasn’t a surprise – you were hardly trying. You put zero thought into each move. If anything, you made purposefully bad moves; reluctant to take any of his pieces out of fear that it might anger him into lashing out at you.

You pointedly noticed that his glass of wine remained untouched.

Shivering, you tried to hold back tears as you listened to the noise of the familiar TV show playing in the background. The channel must be doing a marathon…

All you wanted was a night to relax, a night _away _from the horror story your life had turned into... and it was all too quickly turning into a crime scene.

…

_Why me...?  
_

...

Sans hummed lightly as he moved his queen, taking your last pawn. You were only down to your king and a rook now…

Not that you cared.

His red hue flashed as he focused his attention on your now empty glass of wine… grin stretching in a way that made a chill run up your spine.

“all out, sweetheart?”

His jaw grew stiff, pupils constricting... and he shoved his own untouched glass towards you. “don’t worry… you can have mine.”

His words slithered into your ears, an undeniable tenseness behind them despite his casual tone. Breath catching in your throat, your blood turned to ice as you stared at the vermillion liquid swirling in the glass; you never realized that a simple glass of wine could be so _terrifying_.

... Did he notice you switch the glasses?

“heh, my bro always said i needed to work on my dating skills,” Sans remarked coolly. “so don’t worry… i’ll be the perfect gentleman tonight… hehe… ladies first, right?”

_No…_

You couldn’t let him drug you, you knew that that would only spell doom for you in your current situation.

You met his gaze and shook your head, trying to ignore the wild panic that spurred within you when the pressure on your chest began to constrict your lungs. “I can’t… _I can’t_…” you managed between your gasps for air. “Already… d-drank… too much… I’ll get… alcohol poisoning… can I have… w-water instead?”

Sans tilted his head, the tenseness in his bones relaxing… but the invisible weight he was exerting on your body remained. “alcohol poisoning? that a human thing?”

You nodded frantically, praying to any god that was listening that maybe you had reached him. “Y-yes…! If we drink too much at once, we can die!”

Curling his phalanges around his empty socket, Sans scratched at the edges before tapping the side of his head, the grating sound making you cringe.

“i see… welp, wouldn’t want that.”

He grinned at you, the heaviness on your chest letting up as he stood and grabbed the glass of wine. “luckily i got just the solution.”

You exhaled a sigh of relief as he disappeared around the corner, the sound of liquid sloshing finding your ears as he dumped the wine. You heard the clink of a glass, and then he returned moments later with the mystery bottle clutched in his hand.

And just like that, your dread returned.

“got somethin' _extra _special for us.”

He clicked his claws against the bottle, an ominous, glowing liquid swirling within. The bottle itself was entirely barren… not even a label on it; it made you wonder if it was homemade.

Eyes growing wide and face paling, you began to hyperventilate, tears brimming at the corners of your eyes as you quickly shook your head. “Pl-please… can I just have water…?”

Sans’ grin tensed, ruby hue constricting. “awe, but sweetheart… i had this specially made for _you_…” He popped open the cork and blue mist began to steam from the opening, a pungent scent filling the air. “monster alcohol has got that _kick _that your human drinks just don’t have. but don't worry, precious - it’s allll magic, so should solve that little human problem of yours.”

He chuckled, taking a swig of it himself before pressing the bottle against your pursed lips. Even just at the contact against the glass, you could already feel your lips beginning to tingle and grow numb…

Again, you shook your head and tried to lean away from it. Your heart thudded as tears began to drip from your eyes. You couldn’t drink it; you couldn’t drink it. _Please don’t make me drink it. _

Sans clicked his tongue, an audible rattle reverberating along his bones. “you humans are so ungrateful.”

Sharp pain rocketed through your scalp as he fisted your hair, yanking your head back and forcing a yelp out of you. He took that moment to shove the nozzle into your mouth, tipping the bottle up and pouring the liquid down your throat.

You coughed and sputtered as some of it escaped down your trachea, but he refused to let up, only gripping harder and shoving the nozzle deeper. Muscles locking up, icy dread coiled within you as you were forced to swallow the foreign ‘alcohol’, it leaving a tingling sensation in your mouth and making your tongue grow numb.

It was surprisingly sweet with only vague hints of alcohol that reminded you of fruity mixed drinks… but this did little to placate you considering it was being _forced down your throat_.

You immediately began to heave and choke when he released you, your stomach threatening to reject its newfound contents. Vision blurring, a feeling of light-headedness greeted you as you wobbled and nearly fell out of the chair.

You barely even noticed that Sans was no longer bothering to hold you down with magic.

Sharp claws punctured through your sweatshirt and grazed your skin when you were pulled upright, a hand clamping over your mouth to hold your jaw shut. And you shivered as you felt coarse phalanges stroke through your hair, petting you.

Blood pounding through your ears and bleary vision coming vaguely into focus, you saw a dilated red eye in front of you… hellish… _demonic…_

“pretty good, yeah?” Sans chuckled. “only the best for my _soulmate._”

_I’m not your soulmate, you delusional psychopath._

Bitterly, that’s what you wanted to say… but all you managed was a whimper when you felt Sans place his teeth against your forehead in a chaste ‘kiss’.

All you could do was tremble, clutching desperately against his coat when he forced your numbed body to stand. You head grew fuzzy when he wrapped one of your arms around his broad shoulders, supporting you as he made you walk with him _somewhere. _

Visceral panic clawed at your mind, screaming at you to _get away… _but you couldn’t even see straight, couldn’t even _stand _on your own; the vile poison he had forced down your throat no doubt the reason for your clouded head and weakened body.

“lucky us, it’s a clear night… wanna show you somethin’ special, sweetheart,” Sans rumbled against your ear.

A chill breeze prickled at your skin and through your shaky gaze, you noticed that you were now standing on the balcony with him. You could hear the dull sounds of city traffic in the background, the glinting light of the full moon just vaguely illuminating the dark surroundings.

Sans shoved you in front of himself, forcing you to grip the railing for support. And you locked up in fear when you felt him press into you from behind, hardened ribcage digging into your back.

Clawed phalanges stroked up your neck, tracing your jawline before tilting your head up. Vision clearing slightly, bright stars filled your gaze.

“pretty isn't it? 'course it’s much better in the country… i’ll take ya one day…” Sans stroked your arm before pointing towards a random direction in the sky. “but you can see a few things here… hehe, bet even you know that one.”

You realized he was pointing towards the Big Dipper, and your head spun with confusion. Why was he making you look at fucking _stars_?

It was a cruel mockery of a _real _date: a gesture you would find incredibly romantic if it wasn’t being forced on you by a crazed psycho that could snap and kill you at any moment.

“over there is sirius… connected into canis major.” He craned your head further upwards, the light of his red hue dancing in your peripheral. “can’t really see it that well out here though, heh… the city is pretty lame, right?”

You vaguely listened as he rambled off various constellations, sharp grip remaining tight on your jaw as he maneuvered your head this way and that way, forcing you to look at whatever he was talking about. While some of the names seemed familiar, all you could see through your bleary vision was stars… just random stars; and it did little to distract you from the intimate way he was pressed up against you, how his hot breath tingled against your ear… the icy shiver that rolled up your spine when he nuzzled the side of your face.

And despite your hammering heart and hyperventilating pants, you felt yourself growing more and more exhausted… lids unbearably heavy and legs weak. You clutched onto the railing for dear life and bit your tongue to keep yourself alert and _awake. _

You couldn’t fall asleep. You couldn’t fall asleep.

You didn’t even want to _think _about what he might do to you if you fell asleep.

But in spite of your efforts… you found your mind blanking in and out, Sans’ words growing more and more distant… your nerves now numb to the coarse bones trailing along your skin…

A bout of nauseating vertigo hit you when Sans abruptly twisted your body around, forcing your back against the railing. Engorged ruby filling your gaze, you noticed his ivory facial bones shift into a soft smile… bony fingers trailing up your sides to cup your face and thread through your hair…

Staring down at you, he made a humming sound. “you look so much cuter like this…”

You didn't register it at first when he pressed his teeth against your numbed lips, just a warm tingle buzzing around you. It was only when he pried them open and invaded your mouth with a distinctly inhuman feeling tongue did you snap back to reality... but even then, you found yourself able to do little more than press your hands against his ribcage as the slimy, ectoplasmic appendage poked and prodded at your teeth and stroked against your own tongue. Tasting vaguely of ketchup and alcohol, it oozed a foreign liquid that you were forced to swallow to prevent yourself from choking.

It was nothing short of vile. You wanted to _bite down_… but you were far too out of it… far too paralyzed by fear that he might grab you with his magic again; _choke the life out of you. _

Your gut roiled, a pressure building at your throat… and you for sure would have thrown up in his mouth had it not been for him pulling away at the last second.

You immediately twisted and hunched over the railing, retching as strings of saliva dribbled from your lips… some of them faintly blue…

A claw traced down your back, sending a shiver up your spine and forcing goosebumps to prickle along your skin...

Sans chuckled, continuing to rub your back. “heh… guess ya really did drink too much.”

Your vision blanked in and out, specks of light mottling your view_…_ and you nearly collapsed onto the balcony... but Sans scooped you into his arms before you hit the ground.

“let’s getcha to bed…”

You found yourself dropped onto the bed moments later, the soft mattress immediately feeling like the most welcoming thing in the world…

_No, _ ** _no. _ **

You bit your tongue, _hard_, bringing the taste of copper to your mouth.

_Stay awake, stay awake, stay awake. _

The sounds of the TV show played dully in the background, just barely audible to your numbed senses. You were only faintly shocked out of your stupor when you felt the weight of the mattress shift, and you craned your head to the side to see Sans crawling onto the bed next to you.

Heart thudding, your instinct spurred and you tried to sit up… tried to scoot out of bed… tried to _escape. _

… But you found yourself unable to even _move; _as though you had become a prisoner in your own body. All you could do was stare at him through spotted, blurry vision while your mind _screamed _inwardly. 

His crimson eye filled its entire socket as he gazed down at you, grin sharp, casting you what could be described as nothing short of a ‘come hither’ look.

You exhaled quick and uneven breaths, trembling as a skeletal hand traced over your shoulder to toy with the collar of your sweatshirt before wandering south… over your chest… along your abdomen… before finally stopping to rub circles around your hip.

_No... please stop... _

_Please let this be another nightmare._

He grew bolder: dipping his hand between your legs and stoking up your inner thigh… and you managed to summon the strength to grab his wrist, trying to push him away while shaking your head.

“no…?” He cocked his head as he stared down at you.

You shot him a pleading look and again shook your head, your attempt to speak the words ‘No’ coming out with nothing as your vocal cords seemed to stop working.

Sans chuckled, grin hitched high in a way looked nothing short of dangerous. And your breath caught in your throat, fearing that he might continue despite your silent protest.

…

But he backed off, withdrawing his hand and re-situating himself so that he rested against the headboard.

“alright.”

…

You exhaled a sigh of relief.

“heh… figured ya wouldn’t mind, considering your past…”

You bit your tongue again – this time more from _anger _than anything, fingers flexing as you clutched the sheets; knowing full well what he was referring to. _Fucking crazy, deranged asshole…_

Of _course _you minded… but _of course _someone like _him _wouldn’t understand the difference between selling articles of clothing on your own accord versus being _raped._

But you counted your blessings considering he at least backed off… for now…

You didn’t trust him in the slightest as he continued to lounge in the bed next to you, gaze now cast towards the TV as he watched the show playing. If it wasn’t for whatever he had forced you to consume sedating you, you were certain you would be in a full-blown panic attack at this point.

But you were unable to do much more than lay there with widened eyes, tears silently falling as you shook and gripped the blankets. You tried to focus on the TV, constantly grinding your teeth against your tongue and lips in effort to keep yourself conscious.

… However, your efforts seemed to be in vain as black specks continued to dance in your vision… growing more and more obscuring… the idea of just giving in and closing your lids becoming _so _welcoming…

“you like this show?” Sans asked, nodding towards the TV where _The Office_ was still screening.

You jumped at his words and in this moment you actually found yourself thankful he was talking… reminding your exhausted, numbed body that he was still _th__ere _and that you couldn’t fall asleep and let your guard down.

Looking towards him, you mustered the strength to nod your head… hoping to keep him speaking.

His grin stretched. “think it’s on netflix, we can binge it together sometime... although personally, i think those humans would look a whole lot better if they were a little less… how should i put this… _alive…_”

He laughed as though he had just said the funniest thing in the world and a shudder ran down your spine. Somehow the first part of his statement bothered you more than the latter…

You _really _didn’t like how familiar he was being…

What was he planning...?

…

_Stay awake, stay awake, stay awake._

_ **Don’t fall asleep. ** _

…

…

Your lids snapped open at the sound of disjointed popping, and you looked up to see Sans stretching… before scooting himself closer to you and wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

_Oh god… _

You _almost _fell asleep just then…

_Stay awake, _ ** _stay awake. _ **

Sans leaned over you, his features a blur and his glinting red eye blinding you. A clawed hand walked up your leg and your body quivered as he moved his face towards yours, his heated breath cascading over your lips. His mouth was strained into a grin… wide and maniacal… hardly friendly… and you tensed, anticipating he was going to try to kiss you again.

But instead he spoke…

“betcha think you’re clever... hiding at a hotel...”

He snickered, and then his features grew rigid… dark… red hue shrinking into a tiny speck... the hand at your thigh gripping _hard _and threatening to break skin.

“i know you went to the police today…”

Your breath caught in your throat… but all you could do was stare through speckled vision as you grew more and more disconnected from your body… not even feeling the claws sinking into your leg nor the coarse hand slipping under your shirt…

_**Stay awake. **_

“don’t like to do these things - don’t _want _to hurt you… but i warned you what would happen if you _**told.**_”

His voice came out as a low whisper against your ear… but to you he sounded as though he was underwater… the world around you spinning and turning murky…

_Stay… awake…_

…

“hope ya like the present i got for you.”

…

But you didn’t even hear the words… the last thing you recalled being the claws prickling at your abdomen as your mind blanked into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably no update next week because next week is a holiday in my country and I will be with family. But hey! This chapter is about twice as long as most of my normal chapters, so it's kind of like two updates!
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading! I hope you are enjoying this little fucked up story!


	12. Sans: Determination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warning: ** This chapter contains non-consensual soul stuff and explicit non-consensual sexual touching. Remember that Sans is not a good guy in this story.

Sans felt his soul hum within him as he gazed down at you, watching as your eyes drifted shut and you were lulled into sleep.

Liquified blue magic acted as a depressant for monsters – much like alcohol. But for humans… it had an anesthetic effect.

Resituating himself, Sans crouched next to you and brushed his thumb along the corners of your eyes to wipe the tears away. He didn’t _ mean _to make you cry, but… he had to teach you somehow. You needed to learn that there were consequences to your actions; he wouldn’t let you do something foolish that would take him away from you. You were his mate… his girlfriend as humans would call it…

He couldn’t lose you.

Pupils wandering down your form, he toyed with the hem of your sweatshirt before pushing both it and your tank top up: exposing your bare abdomen and the black bra that concealed your chest. A shaky breath escaped him as he stared down at you, claws tracing up your sides before trailing inward to fiddle with your bra…

But he stopped himself.

_ … don’t get distracted _

_ there will be plenty of time _ ** _later. _ **

Instead he hovered his hand over you. Allowing the room to spark in cyan, magic engulfed his fingers in translucent tendrils that trailed down to encase your chest.

His own soul throbbing in his ribcage, he watched with fascination as the amethyst heart manifested and pulsed within your body; just a subtle purple glow that shone vibrantly through your skin, thinly coated in his magic. He drew his claw around it while it remained enclosed within your chest, taking his time to admire how much hotter the skin surrounding your soul grew. It was almost like magic – so warm and soothing, yet so much more powerful.

Another shaky exhale left him and you let out a sharp whimper in your sleep, body jerking, when he yanked your soul from your chest in one fluid motion. Rippling with vibrance, the purple heart hovered disembodied a foot above you.

You began to moan, body quivering and eyelids fluttering, sweat beading at your forehead… and Sans found himself momentarily worried that you might wake up.

It would be easier if you stayed sleeping for this.

But you settled... disregarding the small trembles that continued to shudder across your skin. Cupping the heart, Sans sighed as he gazed at it. It was nothing short of gorgeous.

He could probably stare at your soul all night and never get bored... the soul of his soulmate...

...

It almost made him feel bad for what he had to do.

Magic blazed out of his socket as blue mist encircled his hands. Agony ripping through his skull, he made an effort to concentrate on the task at hand as the blue tendrils began to stream into your soul.

The resistance was immediate. The purple heart flared, vibrating vehemently, and Sans had to double his efforts to combat the push back. 

But he foresaw this. As much as he despised thinking about it… you hadn’t accepted him into your soul yet…

A struggle was to be expected.

But Sans was determined. Ignoring the throbbing pain that cracked his own soul, he continued to force his magic into yours.

You whimpered and quaked beneath him despite your anesthetized state, sweat marring your face as your body responded to your fighting soul. And Sans found himself growing concerned when you began to convulse on the bed.

… Would you die before this was completed?

…

He didn’t expect your soul to be _ this _resistant. Being that he was your soulmate, he figured that your soul would be somewhat receptive to his magic despite your lack of consent...

...

He didn’t want you to die... <strike>he couldn't lose anyone else.</strike>

...

But he continued on… it was a risk he would have to take. This was better for the both of you in the long run.

Several minutes passed, and finally... he finished... your audible, quickened breathing and still-beating soul making it apparent that you had survived the ordeal. Sweat beading on his skull and breaths leaving him in exhausted pants, Sans dropped his hands, watching with satisfaction as your throbbing soul soaked up the remainder of his magic.

A grin stretching across his face, Sans again cupped your soul, bringing his mouth close to kiss it before dismissing it back into your body. Once the purple heart was back within the confines of your chest, you settled, resuming your soft snoring in your sleep.

Standing, he righted your clothing before pulling the sheets out from under you and tucked them around your sleeping form. Combing his phalanges through your hair, he pet your head, feeling his skull grow fuzzy and his soul thump at just how _ delicate _the strands were…

He wanted to touch you all day, every day… to smell nothing but the honey-sweet scent you emanated. He wanted to stare at your soul _ longer. _To touch it with his own.

The taste he had just gotten… wasn’t enough…

Exhaling jaggedly and wiping away the drool that seeped from his teeth, he leaned down and inhaled, before pecking his teeth against your forehead. A low chuckle escaped him when you moaned softly in your sleep. _ cute… _

Pupils trailing to your lips, he noticed a trickle of blood dribble from them… and he couldn’t resist the urge to swipe his tongue over it, shuddering at the way the overpowering copper mingled with the softness of your skin.

_ perfect. _

Spending time with you like this… it almost made him forget that, if you were awake, you would be looking at him with that hatred in your eyes…

... Almost made him forget about your willingness to show yourself to everyone except him - your _ soulmate. _

_.._

Bones tensing, agony ruptured through his skull; his rose-tinted fantasy shattering.

...

** _fucking whore._ **

Backing away, he wrapped his phalanges around his socket and yanked once, finding little distraction in the pain that ripped across his bones.

He took a deep, shaky breath.

...

_ it’s okay… it’s okay… _

It didn’t matter if you didn’t want him… you and him were still a couple… he would still _ have _you…

… And what he just did cemented that. Your choice was gone.

You were his.

Someday you would understand. As your soulmate… he knew what was best for you. 

Grinding his teeth together, he collected his things before vanishing from the room.

He re-appeared within the hallway of his home, the familiar scent of Papyrus’ spaghetti immediately hitting him. He could hear heavy footsteps stomping around the kitchen, accompanied by noises of pots clanking together and the muffled sounds of the TV.

Dropping the bag full of belongings and tucking his hands into his coat pockets, Sans descended the stairs, entering into the living room and noticing that some human reality show appeared to be playing on the television.

It looked stupid to him, but Papyrus enjoyed those types of shows… so Sans tried not to let his dislike show. He even watched them with Papyrus at times, just to make him happy.

Papyrus… anything human-related, he enjoyed. In fact, Papyrus was utterly fascinated with humans. Sans never understood how his brother could be so forgiving of humans after what they did to the Underground, and after how terribly they initially treated monsters on the surface…

… How awfully some of them _ still _treated monsters.

But Papyrus didn’t care – to him, all humans and monsters had good in them.

Papyrus had carried incredible guilt as a result of being forced to eat humans to survive during their last decade in the Underground. Once they made it to the surface, the guilt had gotten so severe that Papyrus blocked out the events completely.

And Sans? Being the good brother he was, he chose to play along with Papyrus’ repressed memory.

But Sans supposed he understood the appeal of humans now…

_ just one human. _

His soul shuddered at the thought of you, and he found himself wanting to port right back to the hotel to spend more time with you.

He had to make sure you were okay...

It was his right as your mate...

_ no, no... _

Papyrus would grow suspicious if he were gone for much longer. He still had to figure out what to do about Papyrus...

His brother would never approve.

_ But he was running out of time. _

Shaking his head, Sans walked into the kitchen and spotted Papyrus busying himself over the stove. The faint smell of something burning whizzed through his nasal cavity.

“hey paps,” Sans greeted, leaning against the doorway. “how was work?”

“SANS I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE HOME!” Papyrus exclaimed as he continued to frantically tend to the meal on the stove. “TODAY WAS FANTASTIC! I RESCUED THE MOST ADORABLE KITTEN FROM A TREE TODAY, AND THE DEPARTMENT WAS REALLY PLEASED WITH MY SKILL SET. THEY TOLD ME I WAS PERFECT TO PERFORM THAT TASK BECAUSE I WAS TALL! I THINK THEY MIGHT EVEN HIRE ME ON FULL TIME SOON!”

Sans grinned as he listened to his brother rattle on about his day. Although he still found his thoughts drifting back to _ you... _“that’s great to hear bro, i’m sure they’ll take you on in no time.”

“NYEHEHEH OF COURSE THEY WILL! WHO COULD RESIST THE GREAT PAPYRUS!” Papyrus cackled and he flung around the spoon, spraying spaghetti sauce onto the walls. “BUT WHY ARE YOU HOME SO LATE SANS? ARE YOU BEING BOTHERED AGAIN BY THAT HUMAN? I MADE SURE TO WARN THE HUMAN POLICE ABOUT THIS AWFUL PERSON SO THAT THEY DON’T MAKE A FALSE REPORT ABOUT YOU.”

“thanks bro.” Sans winked. “think everything is taken care of now… shouldn’t be a problem anymore.”

_ is she still asleep...? _

“I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT A HUMAN WOULD BE SO CRUEL! THEY ARE USUALLY SO NICE! I HOPE THAT THIS HUMAN LEARNS THAT HOSTILITY WILL NEVER GET THEM ANYWHERE!” 

“don’t worry… pretty certain they have.”

_ shit, what if she’s hurt... should’ve stayed to watch longer. _

“I KNEW IT! ALL HUMANS HAVE GOOD IN THEM!” Papyrus said with glee, a crooked smile splitting his jaw as he stirred the noodles. “DINNER IS ALMOST READY! I THINK THIS WILL BE MY BEST SPAGHETTI YET!”

“actually, bro… gonna take a rain check on dinner tonight.” Sans scratched the side of his skull, before feigning a yawn. “i’m _ bone _tired… think i’m just gonna go get some shut eye.”

_ stars, she tasted so amazing. _

“AH… OKAY SANS – _ WAIT _WAS THAT A…? NYEH! JUST LEAVE! I WILL SAVE LEFTOVERS FOR YOU!”

Sans flashed Papyrus an innocent grin before ascending the stairs to his bedroom… and the moment he shut the door behind him, he stepped into the void to reappear back inside the hotel room.

It was too much, he couldn't stay away. He could feel the pull of his soul… _ drawing him in… _

...

He _ needed _a little bit more…

He spotted you… still passed out on the bed, tucked in right where he left you. He approached you, smoothing his hand over your forehead to push your bangs back, before trailing it down to play with your ear and trace down your neck.

You were okay...

He exhaled a sigh of relief before using his sleeve to wipe the sweat from your face. Stepping back, his pupils sweeped down your form. 

...

You looked so… vulnerable.

He grinned.

Alone, unaware, defenseless… _ fragile_. There was no one to interfere this time. Your pathetic coworkers wouldn’t come looking for you and interrupt him like before. He was still fantasizing about the perfect way to kill those two human men… but now was not the time to think of that.

Tonight… it was just him and you. And now with his magic inside of you… eventually that was all it would be.

His precious soulmate...

He crawled into bed next to you, settling himself under the covers and wrapping his arms around you to pull you flush against his chest. Heaving a content sigh, he nuzzled his face into your neck, inhaling as he savored your scent. You moaned in your sleep… a sound that he just _ loved. _

Sans allowed himself to remain like this for some time... and in the back of his mind, he _ knew _that you would be fighting tooth and nail to get away from him if you were awake, but…

... It was still early in the relationship… today was your first official date with him after all.

Once he taught you how to understand the will of your soul -_ showed _you that he loved you… you would stop fighting.

He just had to go slow with this part… yeah… yeah… he could do that…

He knew humans were often finicky when it came to physical affection.

His hand shifted lower on your body, slipping beneath your shirt and rubbing circles around your abdomen. A groan escaped him as the softness of your skin proved to be nothing short of _ intoxicating. _

You were like a drug.

Pressing himself closer, he stroked his tongue up your neck, a shudder rolling up his spine when he noticed the trail of glistening blue saliva it left on your skin… _ his _magic…

…

Would it scare you if he went a little further?

…

<strike> Did it matter?</strike>

_ … _

Before he knew it, he had pulled the blankets off your form and resituated himself to straddle you.

His magic rustled in his pelvis as he settled on top of you, appreciating how perfect you fit underneath him. You stirred, a small moan leaving you. But you did not wake.

You were _ his_… ** _his_ ** mate… he deserved to see you…

…

If you were willing to show yourself to strangers, why couldn’t he - your soulmate, look at you?

His magic was already inside of you… this… this was nothing…

He _ deserved this. _

He exhaled through his nares, bringing a hand to your face to trace his fingers down your cheek and along your slightly parted lips. You barely reacted to this, chest continuing to rise and fall steadily in your sleep, the occasional soft snore escaping you.

He had never been this close to you before where you hadn’t been looking at him in fear. 

It was… nice.

He had wanted this ever since he first met you… to be able to touch you, feel you… have you look at him with nothing but love. This is how it should be between soulmates.

Agony split across his skull as he recalled your rejection, soul twisting.

You were more willing to fuck your ex that didn’t want you and sell yourself sexually than be with him – someone who actually loved you. Your _ soulmate_. 

You would rather live in that awful apartment and work at that terrible job, barely making enough to pay the bills, than move in with him and not have a financial worry in the world.

You would… report him to the _ police… _try to get him locked up and taken away from everything he loved…

…

In the deepest depths of his mind, he knew that he should have just left it at that… the moment you rejected him, he should have moved on and let it be. In fact, he should have just disregarded his soul’s longing in the first place and never even spoken to you… he didn’t _ need _a soulmate.

… But he couldn’t just _ ignore it. _ Not when you belonged to him. It was _ you _that had to learn your place. 

You were _ his. _

_ His, his, his, _ ** _ his._ **

** _All his._ **

There was no going back. 

His soul thrumming, he shifted, hands leaving your face and to again push up your sweatshirt and tank top. He smoothed his hands over your abdomen, admiring the soft warmth of your skin and the tautness of your abdominal muscles, feeling the sinewy fibers beneath his bony fingers. Somehow, the parts of you that he didn’t have himself only intensified his attraction. But you had bone underneath all that as well… and he took his time to feel each divot of your ribs, which were just barely visible beneath your skin.

You stirred slightly, a discomforted moan escaping your lips when he pressed on one of your ribs, curious at just how strong your bones were. Would they break easily? Or would they endure a lot like his?

He didn’t really _ know_. While he had killed humans during his time in the underground, he always… disassociated from this part of it. If it wasn’t a death that he disconnected himself from as result of his brother’s puzzles, it was a quick death from his magic or his axe. He never _ really _ experimented how much they could take.

However, he backed off at your pained noise and instead moved to fiddle with your bra.

He let out a frustrated grunt as he fumbled with the clasp. It would be so much easier if he could just tear it off... but after a few more moments of struggling, he succeeded in unhooking it, parting the two cups and freeing your breasts.

He was instantly drawn to them, wasting no time in cupping them and rolling them around in his hands. It was nothing he hadn’t seen before in your pictures, but it was so much better in person.

He squeezed one of them, mesmerized by the way the skin caved beneath and then bulged between his fingers. It was tempting to dig his claws in and draw blood; he could only imagine how beautiful you would look… streaks of red running down your breasts and pooling at your sides. _ Stars, _he hoped you had some masochistic tendencies so he could do just that.

Rubbing a thumb over your nipple, he watched you, exhaling a satisfied huff when he heard you exhibit a subtle moan in your sleep. He continued to play with you, rubbing, pinching, fondling, taking note of every reaction that escaped you.

He could tell you were sensitive there.

Your overall anatomy was really not that much different from some of the female monsters he had been with in the past. Even the sensitive spots were similar. He didn’t need to look up human porn to know where to touch.

But your skin… he’d never been with a monster that had skin like yours, so soft, warm, inviting. So unique to humans. It wasn’t covered by fur, scales, or anything else. It was just… bare and smooth.

He loved it.

One of his hands trailed down from the mound of your breast and into your cleavage, idly tracing the skin there. Remembering what it felt like to manifest your soul…

He wanted to do it again… _ feel _the hold of his magic on it again.

But instead he pressed his forehead to your chest, inhaling deeply and savoring the warmth of your skin. You smelled… like _ you _ … he could smell your essence, your distinct scent that set you apart from others. It made his erection pulsate painfully against his shorts, the blue glow of it just faintly visible beneath the barrier of the fabric.

Dragging his nasal cavity up the swell of your chest and past your collarbone, he rested it within the crook of your neck. He again sucked in your scent, bones shuddering. The constant throbbing in his skull was absent for what seemed like the first time in years, his body too distracted by _ you _and his own arousal to feel anything but.

He allowed his tongue to manifest and stroked it along your jawline. Another soft moan escaped your slumbering form. You tasted so wonderful… he wanted to _ bite down – _ sample your blood and mark you as _ his_.

Possessiveness rattled him as he observed the trails of saliva on your skin. It wasn’t _ permanent _enough…

His magic in your soul wasn’t _ visible _enough.

He wanted the whole world to know who you belonged to.

His, his, his, ** his**.

He growled, forcing himself to pull away. Using his shirt, he wiped the saliva from your face and neck. You shifted at this, eyelids flickering as though you might wake up. He froze, halting his ministrations and ready to teleport away in a moment’s notice if need be. But to his relief, you settled, rolling your head the other direction and resuming your soft snoring.

Maybe he should stop.

He… he could be patient right? _ hehe… _

Wait until you were ready… wait until he helped you understand…

...

** _no._ **

He _ deserved _this... just a little bit more...

Simultaneously, he freed his cock from his shorts and began stroking it while fumbling with the button of your jeans. Again, you shifted beneath him, a small whimper leaving your lips, but still you remained deep in your slumber.

Finally succeeding, he unzipped them and pulled both your jeans and underwear down to your knees. He scowled, soul twisting when he noticed that the panties you were wearing appeared rather fancy, likely a pair that you were planning to sell.

But he was too caught up in his arousal to pay much mind to it now.

He shifted himself further down your body, the head of his cock dragging along your abdomen and staining your skin with blue precum. He settled himself just over your knees and parted your legs as much as the jeans hobbling your calves would allow.

Sans let out a shaky sigh as he gazed at the prize between your legs and began to stroke himself more vigorously, breaths quickening. He had never seen this part of you before. Even in your scandalous photos, you never showed this much.

He trailed his hand up your thighs and delved his fingers between your folds, parting them so he could get a better look. Your anatomy was so small in comparison to the female monsters he had been with in the past… it fascinated him. And all he could think about was how snug you would feel wrapped around his cock.

Oh _ stars_, he wanted to…

He pressed a bony finger against your entrance, inserting it up to his knuckles. You wiggled in your sleep, emitting a quiet moan.

You were indeed tight; he was just barely able to insert a second finger into you… but he forced himself past the resistance. You were so warm, soft… so tempting.

He shuddered, panting harshly, warmth pooling in his pelvis. He snatched your hand, wrapping it around his cock and using it to pump himself – and he nearly came right there and then as soon as he felt how _ soft _it was in comparison to his own skeletal hand.

A groan escaping him, his cock twitched as he began to near his climax. He began to thrust his fingers into you in rhythm with his pumping. He watched with aroused fascination his fingers disappeared inside of you with each movement, growing even more pleased with himself when he noticed your breaths grow rapid and your walls begin to slicken.

He wondered, briefly, if you would wake up with this much stimulation. How long would the magic keep you asleep?

If you did wake up, he wasn’t so certain that he would be able to stop and just teleport away. He was far too into it at this point.

He was so close…

_“fuck._”

He swore under his breath and just barely had enough time to pull his fingers out of you and grab one of the small blankets on his bed, wrapping it around himself as he tipped himself over the edge. His cock shuddered in his – well, _ your _ grasp as he spilled himself into the fabric.

He exhaled harshly, tossing the blanket to the side and righting his shorts before wiping the sweat from his skull. And then he returned his attention to you…

Dragging his claws lightly down your sides, he took one last look at your bare form before righting your clothing and pulling the comforter over your body. The dirtied blanket was collected to remove evidence.

He stood, and a small rattle found his bones.

Perhaps it was due to post-orgasm high, but he felt… good.

Determined…

His mouth stretched into a wide grin. 

Everything was going to work out.

Why _ should _he feel bad about what he did? It was his right to do whatever he wanted with your body and soul as your mate. 

He deserved to put his needs first for once.

_ it’s not rape if it’s your soulmate anyways. _

————

Sans grumbled to himself as he stalked down the sidewalk towards his workplace. Work was the last thing on his mind right now…

All he could think of was _ you. _His human, his soulmate. Your soft skin… velvet hair… fragile body… he could sense you as you slept in your apartment. It felt nothing short of amazing.

He was so glad that you and him were a couple now…

But three days was far too long to go without seeing you... especially after getting such a thorough taste...

_ just a few more loose ends to tie up, sweetie… hold tight… _

“Hey!”

Sans was jarred from his thoughts at the familiar sounding voice.

“Hey you! Yeah, you!”

Pupils swiveling towards the source, his gaze settled on… your friend. He recognized her easily, remembering seeing her outside of your apartment complex not too long ago… Alyssa… right?

Brows creased into a heated glare, she stormed up to him, getting in his face and invading his personal space. “Leave my friend alone!”

His gaze darkened, bones tensing. “… what?”

Did you tell someone _ else? _

Her lip twitched and she snarled, “You heard me! I know you’ve been following my friend around – you better leave her alone.”

Did he not punish you _ enough? _

…

“afraid you’re mistaken, pal… not following anyone around.”

“Liar! I know everything - I’ve been watching you!” She shoved against his chest before stepping away and taking a deep breath. “Please just stop. She doesn’t deserve this, you’re scaring her half to death. You’re going to go to jail if you keep this up - you don’t want that, do you?”

Sans stared at her, jaw rigid and ruby hue constricting. _ could be trouble… _

He remembered seeing on Facebook… unlike you, this girl had a lot of connections and appeared very outspoken…

... 

Head cocking, his mouth stretched into a grin. “not me.”

Scoffing, she turned and stomped away. “Creep,” she muttered loud enough for him to hear. “You’ll regret this.”

Teeth grinding together, Sans watched her form grow smaller as she raced down the street.

And he followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks so much for reading!
> 
> I’m not the happiest with this chapter, as it's pretty difficult to write Sans sometimes... especially with how discordant his thoughts are right now and the mental gymnastics he jumps through to justify his actions (crazy people don't usually see themselves as crazy after all). But hopefully his character seems believable thus far.
> 
> Regardless, hope you guys enjoyed either way! Things are going to start getting real fun ;)


	13. Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warning: ** This chapter contains violence and blood.

_ You awoke feeling like you had been tossed in a garbage disposal and ground up into pieces, head throbbing and muscles so weak that you could barely even stand... an odd pressure on your chest that made you wonder if you had heartburn. _

_ … _

_ What happened…? _

_ You tried to wrack your mind, recalling vague bits and pieces… you remembered watching TV and drinking… and then… Sans… him kissing you… threatening you… doing that horrible magical thing to your body again… _

_ That maniacal grin and demonic red eye… _

_ … _

_ But it all felt so surreal… _

_ Your bleary eyes found the empty champagne bottle on the counter. Did you just drink too much and dream it all…? _

_ It certainly felt like a hangover… ugh… _

_ You checked your body for marks, inspected every inch of the hotel room… but nothing appeared out of sorts… _

_ Yeah… you had to of dreamt it… you _ ** _had to…_ **

_ You didn’t even want to consider it being real. _

_ No… no… it couldn’t be real… _

_ … _

_ ... _

_ It wasn’t real. _

_ … _

_ The walk home from the hotel felt like a blur… between your pounding head and the way your body wobbled with each step, your gut roiling as though you might throw up should anything happen too fast. You noticed a few odd looks cast your direction… but no one bothered to help you… no one cared… _

_ But you managed to make it home in one piece. _

_ A metallic scent greeted you when you entered your unit, and you grew lightheaded - fainting seeming like a real risk at the moment. You ignored it and ambled over to the kitchen to set your purse down. _

_ … And shrieked so loud that it prompted your neighbor to knock on the wall when you saw nothing but crimson painting the counters. _

_ Most of it appeared dried, flaking and now a dark brownish color… but some of it was fresh, oozing onto the floor from the countertops… _

_ Drip… drip… drip… _

_ Face paling, your gaze followed the trail of blood on the floor to find… Jingles’ collar… stained with red. _

_ No, no, no, no… _

_ You heaved, losing what little remained in your stomach onto the floor. _

_ He didn’t… he couldn’t have… _

_ Tears stinging the corners of your eyes, you saw a note next to the collar. Reaching a trembling hand out to grasp it, you unfolded it to read… _

** _"i know you told_ **

** _no more second chances_ **

\- ** _love you, sweetheart"_ **

_ … _

_ You nearly screamed again, only to be cut short when you heard a resounding ‘meow’ come from the bathroom. Tears still streaking down your face, you fell over yourself as you ran towards the bathroom and threw open the door, sobbing in relief when you saw Jingles dash out. _

_ His orange fur was marred in dried blood, but it didn’t seem to be his as he appeared unharmed upon inspection. Unable to stop yourself, you picked him up and hugged him so tightly that he began struggling to escape your grip, sobbing into his fur. _

_ Was it… just a prank? A cruel joke? _

** _Whose blood was that?_ **

_ Was it animal blood…? Or… human…? _

_ A shudder ran down your spine. _

_ You released Jingles who, to your disgust, trounced over to the pooling blood on the floor and sniffed it, before beginning to lap it up. _

_ Your first instinct was to pull out your phone, call the emergency line and report this. This was evidence. This was direct harassment. But… _

_ … Sans did this because you told the police, didn’t he? _

_ The police report you made that didn’t even help you... _

_ If the police failed to prosecute him again… well, the note stated clear as day that he wasn’t going to give you another chance… _

_ … _

_ ... _

_ You weren’t going to make that mistake again. What if he actually was capable of killing your cat…? What if he killed _ ** _you_**_? _

_ ... _

_ You had to find another way out. _

_ Hugging yourself and whimpering, you trudged over to the sink and pulled out cleaning supplies, seeing no other option but to clean up the mess._   
  


_————_

_ Silence… _

It washed over your apartment like a dense fog, near suffocating, it invaded your lungs and choked you from the inside out. Merely listening to the empty air created a rapid flutter in your heart.

As you laid in the dark, prepared for what was to come, all that came to mind was… _ bitterness_. Anger that this was being forced upon you, hatred that you were being made to uproot your life.

Start all over.

You had made it. You were there.

But there was still the _ fear _that even that might fail.

After the blood incident two weeks prior, you had caved and contacted some old clients of yours to ask if they would still be interested in buying from you. And there was one client… well, you were always his favorite… but he was a nice guy and appeared to be very well off, as he was more than willing to help you out by paying a thousand dollars up front for a consistent stream of underwear sent to him over the next year.

The emails had been deleted the moment the transaction was finished. You couldn’t leave evidence. 

You loathed being forced to do this… but there was no other option. You had to get out of this city… you had to escape from Sans.

If Sans didn’t know where you were… he wouldn’t be able to harass you… he wouldn’t be able to hurt you…

You needed money for that.

This was the only way.

…

You sighed.

Today was the day.

You checked underneath the mattress, ensuring that the train ticket you had bought was still there. The graze of stiff paper against your fingers confirmed that it was.

The ticket to the earliest train out of town you could find - one that would take you states away. 

But you knew… you had to be careful.

You had turned in your two weeks’ notice to Cameron the day after the _ incident_, begging him not to tell a soul about you leaving until you were gone. Sans never visited your work anymore, but at this point, you could never be too careful.

He couldn’t know.

No one could know. Not even Brian, the coworker that always had your back. Nor Alyssa, your friend that had stuck by your side from the very beginning. 

You couldn’t take the risk. Not after what he’d done. 

You thumbed through your phone, the fluorescent glow vaguely illuminating the dark room, eyes hovering over a message you had sent to Alyssa a week prior that had gone unanswered.

That was so unlike her… she typically responded right away…

Hopefully she was okay.

But you couldn’t risk checking up on her now. No matter how many times you changed your password, Sans always managed to get access to your messages. Nothing you did online was private. 

You had to be smart.

Your apartment was left as it was, you hadn’t even told your landlady you were planning to leave yet. You couldn’t. It might clue him in. You couldn’t move _ anything_, you couldn’t pack _ anything_, you couldn’t say _ anything_.

Sans would know. And he was only getting bolder by the day, always leaving behind hints of his presence. It was as though he knew that you were too scared to go to the police again.

The blood wasn’t the last of his ‘gifts’...

A couple days after the blood incident, you had come home to find flowers – roses to be specific, with a ‘love note’ and an ‘apology’ for scaring you. But you knew that he was hardly sincere about that apology.

The note was torn into pieces and the roses stomped into the ground until the carpet was stained red.

A week after that, you woke up to find what was unmistakably the taser you had dropped in the street months prior… back when _ he _scared you into running away.

You were tempted to throw it away, if only because _ he _had touched it; tainted it. But a part of you worried that you might need it sometime soon…

No matter what you did… it felt like he was always there. Watching. A predator stalking its prey, creeping closer and _ closer _ until it could launch in for the kill.

…

You couldn’t alter a thing.

He might know.

You feared what he would do if he knew you planned to run. 

Maybe if he killed you, then the police would take you seriously… haha…

…

Even now you could see his jagged form, hanging over the shadows in the room. Ivory bones spiking out of the darkness, seeded with dirt and blood. Claws sharp enough to pierce through your heart. Hellish red glinting… sparking with malice… _ insanity… _

You never were able to banish him from your thoughts. He was always lurking in the back of your mind.

A tremble assaulted your body, and you willed your eyes shut.

_ It’s not real_.

The buzz of your phone forced you to open them again. A message…?

** _Brian: hey… heard from cam that u quit and ur leaving town? why didn’t u say anything? hope ur okay_ **

** _…_ **

At first you unlocked your phone to respond, thinking nothing of it… but…

...

If Brian knew… 

How long did you have before Sans also knew…?

A shiver crept up your spin, breathing suddenly growing difficult.

…

_ Shit_.

You launched yourself from the bed, turning the lights on and dashing to the dresser.

Now would be a good time to leave…

…

No, you had to leave _ right now. _ Before he found out_. _

The thoughts cycled through your mind: _ He’ll kill me, he’ll kill Jingles. Stalking incidents often end with the murder of the victim. _

You couldn’t lose this chance. 

You _ wouldn’t _let yourself become a story on some crime documentary. 

_ Fuck. _Why didn’t you leave earlier?! You should have left earlier!

Grabbing your suitcase, you tossed a random assortment of clothes into it. It didn’t matter which ones, just a few pairs of everything. Enough to last you for a week.

You tore apart your bathroom, scrambling to pack any necessities you spotted. Toothbrush? Yes. Make-up? No. Shampoo? Yes. By the time you were done, it looked as though a hurricane had hit the room, but you didn’t care.

Your mind screamed at you. Hurry_. Hurry. _

You dashed out of the bathroom, snatching the dual urns that held the ashes of your parents and gingerly placing them into the suitcase. The only things that were not necessities that you wouldn’t leave behind.

The last stop was the kitchen. Food… water… you didn’t need much. Just enough to last you until you reached your next destination. You tossed a couple of protein bars and bottles of water into the bag.

Dropping the suitcase onto your bed, you panted haggardly, trembling as your veins coursed with a dangerous mixture of anxiety and adrenaline.

_ Be calm. _

_ Breathe. _

_ You can do this. _

You outstretched a shaky hand to grab the phone on the bed. All you had to do was call a cab to get to the train station and wait there for a couple hours until you could board. Then you could leave this city for good.

Easy right?

Right…?

_ Breathe. _

But the moment you got off the phone with the taxi company, your heart began to race once more. 

You couldn’t be in this room a second longer.

Throwing the phone onto your bed, you snatched the cat carrier for Jingles out of the closet, your eyes darting around in search of the orange feline. You found him, head peeking out from underneath the bed. But the moment he spotted you dashing towards him with the crate, he retreated further beneath the bed.

“Shit, no. Jingles! C’mon! Please!”

You dropped the crate, crouching onto your hands and knees while attempting to reach for the feline underneath the bed. He remained unmoving in the back corner, far out of the range of your hand. The hairs on the back of your neck stood up and you frantically began to attempt to coax him out.

“We have to go! Kitty, kitty, c’mere!”

Jingles began to growl - a low, angered rumble. You were perplexed, that was so unlike him…

But as the atmosphere in the room shifted and grew dense, cold realization came crashing down on you… and you understood why. And in this moment, it was as if all sound had deafened, only the audible pulse of your heart beating through your ears present in the room.

…

“goin’ somewhere?”

That voice… deep and timbre, playful yet there was undeniable malice hidden beneath it.

That all too _ familiar _voice…

You froze, body growing numb, breaths escaping you in quick succession and a cold sweat beading on your back.

Heavy footsteps… creeping _ closer_…

“sweetheart… i know what you’re trying to do.._ . _”

“didja forget that we’re soulmates? that makes us a couple, whether you like it or not...”

You shook uncontrollably and slowly you withdrew yourself from beneath the bed, turning to face Sans. He was right there in front of you, mere feet away, hands tucked casually in his pockets, red eye flashing with crazed mania and that sharp mouth of his stretched into a rigid grin… 

…

“I-I’m not going anywhere,” you stammered, backing away from him until your legs hit the bed. “I, uh, I ju-just had a vet appointment for my cat!”

In another world, your first instinct would have been to scream at him to _ get out of your apartment_, but… _ unfortunately _… him being in your apartment was hardly a surprise anymore...

Sans chuckled, ruby hue narrowing as he lowered his gaze, advancing a single _ slow _ step on you. “didn’t know vet clinics were open at two in the morning.”

“I, uh… I…” Your mouth failed to form words as you felt your muscles lock up. You sucked in a breath, remembering the suffocating feeling of his magic on your chest. 

“i know you were tryin’ to leave… to leave _ me…” _ Sans took another step towards you. “hehe, not that it would’ve worked... i can feel ya… i can feel your _ soul _calling out for me…”

His gaze was heavy on you, searing, as though he truly was staring directly into your soul. He was so close that you could see the dirt and grime marring his ivory bones, stains of old blood licking his blue coat… and all you could do was quail, frozen in place. It was as though your brain had come to a screeching halt, stuck between fight or flight.

Your eyes found the door… maybe you could…

“humans are so out of touch with their souls. makes me angry that you’ve been so reluctant… but you’ll know that it’s right eventually… i’ll help ya learn... though things might hafta move a lil’ faster now.” 

This snapped you out of your trance, and you worked your tongue around your dried mouth in effort to speak. “You’re… y-you’re delusional… you need _ help _ \- professional _ help_,” you stuttered, inching along the bed away from him. “I know someone… sh-she helped me when I was going through a tough time! I can… I can give you her number!”

Sans chuckled, gaze sweeping over you before advancing yet another step on you. “_tibia _honest sweetie, i know exactly what could help me right now… and it’s not that.”

You shivered at the familiar pun, eyes trailing to your bed and spotting your phone… you snatched it. “L-Leave, or I’ll call the police!”

Sans’s grin grew tenser… wider… and his left eye blazed blue, magic crackling in the air - shattering the screen of the phone and ripping it from your hand. It dropped to the floor with a thump.

You gasped, and then screamed, “S-someone! Hel-”

Throat locking up, you felt that all too familiar pressure grab you, seeming to squeeze your lungs. You choked, eyes widening as you spotted Sans creeping towards you.

Your heart galloped and tears stung your eyes. Was this it? Was he going to kill you tonight?

_ Please no… I don’t want to die... _

“you’re not callin’ _ anyone_, sweetheart,” Sans hummed. His tone was so unnaturally playful, as though he _ wasn’t _suffocating you with magic and looking at you as though he wanted to eat you. “if ya do… i’ll have to take care of them… just like that nosy little friend of yours.”

At this, you froze, face paling. What does he mean… take care of them?

Nosy… friend…?

...

There’s only one person he could possibly be talking about. There’s only one person that knew about him.

There’s only one person that would butt into your business to try to help you...

Sans laughed. “an interesting orange soul she had... supposedly it means bravery. and i’d say that rings true for her… she refused to even _ scream.” _

_ Alyssa. _

_ He… he didn’t… _

Sans eyed you, that ever-present grin still stuck on his face. “ no one is gonna keep me from my right, not even _ you _… i’ve been waiting for far too long.”

Gravity grew far more noticeable… and you felt yourself being _ dragged down... _

Wheezing through your constricted chest, your posterior hit the edge of the bed. You panicked, gripping the sheets and pressing in a desperate effort to keep yourself from being pulled to the ground. In your peripheral, you spotted those sharp, glinting claws reaching for you, and you began to fight like a caged wild animal - flailing your free hand in front of you, scratching, hitting, kicking, _ whatever _ you could do to keep him _ away _.

“h-heh… why don’tcha ** _hold still_****_?_**” 

The heaviness of his magic increased and your efforts turned frantic. He stepped closer and tried to grab you. You let out a strangled sound and smacked him, your fingers catching the gaping fracture in his skull, the edges sharp like daggers… and you _yanked, _losing your balance and his magic forcing you down. 

He yelped as the two of you tumbled to the floor, him doubling over on top of you. The grip of his magic dissipated and you seized the opportunity, shoving him off and jumping to your feet. Your eyes found the door but… you wouldn’t get far if you tried to run, would you? He could teleport for god’s sake.

Instead, you dashed to the kitchen and withdrew a steak knife from the knife block. Tears streaked your face, breaths leaving you in heavy pants. Your heart _ pounded _as though it might burst out of your chest. You clutched the knife so hard that your knuckles turned white, a coppery scent lingering in the room as blood seeped from your palm and slicked the hilt, the sharp edges of his skull having lacerated your skin.

You whipped around, trembling, and found him _ right in front of you. _Crimson stained the white of his skull, ruby hue blazing discordantly as he towered over you. You whimpered, wanting nothing more than to cower when faced with the sheer bulk of his figure.

But you ignored the temptation to lock up in fear and slashed the knife at him, only for him to jump away and smile at you in a way that simply spelled _ danger_.

“Stay away!”

You paled as you noticed his eye again blaze blue, and opened your mouth to scream… only to be cut off when that horrid pressure again grabbed your chest and _ squeezed. _Agony rocketed through your bones while your ribcage threatened to crack. You fought with all your might to combat it and remain standing, legs quaking as they risked collapsing beneath you.

His bones were tense, _ shaking, _as he glowered down at you, clawed hands creeping towards you. You slapped at him in vain effort to ward him off. And as he stepped closer, you clutched the knife and drove it towards his chest…

He was faster.

He caught your wrist, claws piercing effortlessly into your skin. You winced, muscles trembling as you fought his grip, trickles of blood rolling down your arm and dripping onto the ground. Panicking, you began to beat at his ribcage.

A knock came from behind the wall, followed by the angered voice of your neighbor, “It’s fuckin’ two in the morning! Shut up!” 

_ No… please help me… _

Sans’ eye lights flickered towards the wall and he grinned, claws digging deeper into your already torn skin. A strangled whimper escaping your lips, the knife slipped from your grip and fell to the ground with a clatter.

“gotcha,” he whispered mockingly. 

He pulled you close, free hand slithering around your waist and teeth pressing against the side of your head.

“enough messing around, it’s time to go home.”

You barely had time to think before your world began to spin and close in around you...

... And everything went dark. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes, we have reached THAT point in the story.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading! <3


	14. Room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the shortest chapter in the entire story, so sorry about that. But hopefully it is enjoyable either way! (Oh yeah, and happy Friday the 13th :D)
> 
> ** Warning: ** This chapter contains non-consensual elements and violence. Remember that this is not a feel-good, fluffy kind of story and nothing that occurs here is healthy.

Did you pass out? If you hadn’t already, you felt as though you might. The world around you spun and flipped, nothing but black visible in the distance. Head pounding and stomach roiling, you could just vaguely feel the sharp grip of skeletal claws digging into your wrist. 

But the dizzying feeling only lasted but a moment before the darkness phased out and a dimly lit room materialized around you.

The tight grip let go… and you stumbled to the floor, joints protesting when they hit the cold concrete. Hunching over, you dry heaved onto the ground and tried your best to ignore the pressure building at the back of your throat to not vomit.

A few seconds passed and your vision came back into focus, your bout of what felt like motion sickness passing. Shivering, you slowly began to process what had occurred and cautiously lifted your head to observe your surroundings.

The room was grey - every single surface of it. Designed with a mixture of concrete and metal, and lit with a single, buzzing light that hung from the ceiling, it appeared devoid of furniture aside from the musty-looking mattress that was tucked in the corner, an ancient-looking toilet, and a couple small shelves that were built into the wall. 

It vaguely reminded you of some kind of… prison cell…

You swallowed thickly. 

You were just in your apartment moments ago and this was _ definitely _not that. Was this teleportation?

Sans could teleport…

Wait. _ Sans._

Heart thudding, you jumped to your feet and whipped around to search for_ him_. With the room being so small, it didn’t take long. You spotted him leaning casually against the wall just six feet away, glinting pupils lazily observing you.

You took a nervous step back and his mouth tensed into a grin, crimson eye flickering as it rolled over the expanse of the room. 

“like it?”

Like it?! You _ hated _ it, whatever _ it _ was. Your eyes darted from side to side, searching for an escape... or a weapon. _ Anything _ you could use to get away from him_. _

“Wh-where am I?” You wanted to sound brave, bold... but you couldn’t help the stutter that marred your words. Your bottom lip trembled as you followed his gaze around the room, your breaths uneven and shaky.

“you’re home.” His red eye pulsed as it rested on the single mattress in the corner. “was gonna make it nicer for you… decorate a little... maybe a lil’ more furniture, give it a _ homey _ feel ya know? but you just _ had _to rush things, so… this’ll have to do.”

“No, no! Take me back!” you sputtered out, beginning to hyperventilate as the realization of what he was intending to do hit you like a ton of bricks. “Y-you can’t! You can’t do this!”

In less than a second his pupils were on you, constricting into tiny dots, the speck of black in his blown-out socket nearly vanishing in the sea of quivering red. Bones tensing and grin stretching wider, he pushed himself off the wall and began to advance on you.

You stumbled over yourself as you frantically backed away, back hitting the cold, metal wall moments later. He easily closed the distance – looming _ far _too close for comfort. A metallic scent assaulted your nostrils, his skull still coated in fresh blood. And you froze when he lifted a single hand towards your face, sharp claws seeming more dangerous than ever.

“heh… but you _ are _ home, sweetheart,” he assured you almost _ lovingly _ as he grasped a strand of your hair and twirled it around his phalanges. “you’re finally where you belong… with your _ soulmate_.”

His expression darkened.

“you will ** _never_ ** leave.”

_ No… no, no, no… _

You thought… you thought he would just _ kill you. _

A strangled noise escaped your throat when his free hand glided up your thigh, fiddling with the hem of your shirt before snaking underneath it. His coarse fingers rubbed circles around your abdomen, feeling like sandpaper on your skin.

It made you want to vomit. 

“really didn’t wanna have to do it this way,” Sans admitted quietly, and you swore that you saw a hint of guilt flash across his expression… “wanted to do things nicely, ya know? get to know you the old-fashioned way, take things slow. been waiting for this for so long… wasn’t the easiest thing for me, but i wanted to _ try _ \- for you.”

...

... Was he serious...?

‘Do things nicely’

‘Take things slow’

You recalled the blood… all the ‘gifts’... the unwanted lewd remarks and the way he used to follow you home…

… That time in the alleyway he almost _ killed you_. How he ** _murdered Alyssa. _ **

Barring your first week of knowing him, ‘taking things slow’ or ‘being nice’ was hardly accurate to what he had been doing. Did he actually _ think that _somewhere in his deluded mind? 

“but i realize now that that was a big ol’ waste of time, shoulda just done this from the get go. you’re no better than the rest of the humans. won’t look a monster’s direction without hate even if they’re your _ soulmate_,” Sans scathed, trembling claws beginning to dig into your skin. “so why didn’t ya like me, huh? is it cause i look like this? cause i’m a monster? wouldn’t be surprised, you’re just a racist bitch like the rest aren’tcha?”

You grit your teeth together as you listened, lip twitching. A fire burning in your veins that clouded your fear-ridden mind.

“Fuck you! I’m _ not _a racist!” you shouted as you began to struggle, twisting as far away from his touch as you possibly could. “I don’t like you because you’re a t-twisted psycho!”

At this, Sans tensed, but you ignored it - seeing nothing but red in this moment. “And you know what? You’re right, I’m _ not _ attracted to monsters like that, but maybe I could have been if you weren’t such a _ fucking creep _ about it.” Your words grew progressively more jagged, throat and mouth becoming dry. “I honestly just didn’t want to date anyone at that time. But you - you’re evil! _ Y-you _ ** _murdered _ ** _ my friend!_ I ha-”

A pained noise escaped you when the hand toying with your hair abruptly clasped around your mouth, claws easily piercing your skin and drawing blood.

“oh… _ heh _… might wanna stop there, sweetheart.” Hand leaving your abdomen, he yanked at his empty socket before scratching his skull. “just be good, yeah? this'll be a lot more difficult for the both of us if ya aren’t…”

You thrashed your head around, clawing at the hand locked around your mouth as you screamed muffled obscenities.

_ Fuck him! _ ** _Fuck him! _ **

You would never willingly be his _ prisoner. _

“i get it, i get it… this all must be real confusing for a dense human like you…” he mumbled discordantly, ruby hue rapidly changing sizes like a focusing lens. “you just hafta… learn to be in tune with your soul… then you’ll get it… you’ll understand.”

The hand returned to its place beneath your shirt, this time crawling higher to rest under your chest…

Your efforts to get away increased tenfold, hands clutching his radius-ulna in a meager attempt to push him off. But he wouldn’t budge... 

No, no, _ no _ \- you had to find a way out! How could someone made of only bone be so _ heavy_?!

Your eyes darted to the door on the other side of the room… was it unlocked?

“... i’ll help ya… we’ll go slow, get to know each other better… don’t worry sweetheart, i’ll ease ya into it.” 

And as though your strength was nothing compared to his, the hand beneath your shirt trailed up to fiddle with the edges of your bra. 

Your eyes widened. Did he… did he actually intend to…?

_ Oh god, please no... _

Hot breath wafting over your skin, he nuzzled into the crook of your neck before inhaling deeply. “you smell so good, love…”

You yelped when he nipped at the skin of your neck, followed by a shudder as a hot appendage stroked over the area seconds later… you presumed it was his tongue. It felt hot… tingly… so foreign and alien.

Sans heaved a sigh. “wanna bite down so bad…” he murmured against your skin, “but you’re not going anywhere, right…? you wouldn’t leave me now. it can wait… it can wait…”

_ Bite?! _

** _Oh god…_ **

His hands went slack and in a spurt of adrenaline, you shoved against his ribcage. “Get off!”

Slipping out from beneath him, you made a dash for the door, heart racing as you reached for the handle.

_ No! _

It was locked. The door metal and grey just like the walls, the handle wouldn’t budge. Whimpering, you continued to try despite knowing it was pointless. 

“Someone help! Help me please!” you screamed at the top of your lungs, only to cease and freeze when you heard a crack of bones rattle through the air.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the small room, growing louder as they crept closer…

“were ya not listening?” Sans’ haunting voice slithered into your ears, “… you’re not goin' _ anywhere _… and i’ll tell ya now - screaming sure isn’t gonna do anything but annoy me.”

You whirled around and backed away from him along the wall, baring your teeth despite the way your body quaked. “Tell me that you’re lying!” you snarled, “tell me that this is just some cruel joke! Tell me that you _ didn’t _ kill my friend… th-that you _ aren’t _actually doing this to me!”

Your voice began to crack towards the end, trembling as you broke down into tears. _ Please… someone help… _

Catching up to you with ease, he grabbed you by the neck and slammed you against the wall. You yelped, head throbbing and your vision blanking out. 

Hand constricting to the point of nearly choking you, he bored down at your now paralyzed figure.

“heh, well i could say that… but that would be the lie.”

His fingers rubbed against your neck and he let out a soft chuckle.

“i understand this is difficult, sweetheart,” he spoke sweetly, smiling as though he _wasn’t _on the verge of strangling you “but someday you’ll see… these things had to happen.”

No…no… he _ had _ to be lying. Alyssa couldn’t actually be dead, could she…? He wasn’t _actually _planning on holding you captive, was he...? He played this trick on you before! This _ had _to be another one of those… right?

You sobbed harder.

“Please…” you choked out as clearly as your constricted trachea would allow. “D-don’t do this… can… can we just start over…? I-I’ll forgive everything! I’ll give you a chance! I’ll date you! Just _ don’t do this to me._”

Sans stared at you... pupils motionless and grip on your neck loosening, pausing as he seemed to consider your offer…

…

...

_ Please see reason... _

_ … _

_ Please... _

_ … _

“**_liar_**_.” _

His hand clamped around your neck, this time fully cutting off your airway. You choked and sputtered for air, frantically clawing at his hand. 

He leaned down, face mere inches from yours, crimson eye blinding you as it blazed with magic. Bones rigid, his smile twisted into a scowl.

“you’re a filthy _ liar_.”

The hand on your neck shaking, he shoved you against the wall before releasing you. Collapsing to your knees and gasping for air, your blurred vision spotted him standing perpendicular to you, his gaze cast towards the ground as he scraped at his empty socket.

“People will look for me… they’ll know that I’m missing…” you croaked out, “they’ll _ know _that you killed someone. You let me go now and maybe it won’t be as bad for you… and for all monsters…”

Even if Sans didn’t care about the repercussions to himself, he _ had _to care about other monsters… right? He… he had family, a brother… maybe you could appeal to him… somehow…

That hauntingly bright eye of his swiveled to look at you. And again, he smiled. “hehe… awe, sweetie, it’s real cute seein’ you try to talk your way outta this…” His grin stretched. “but you’ll be happy here soon enough, i _ promise._”

…

It was… it was like speaking to a broken record. Tears leaked from your eyes as you pulled your knees to your chest, eyeing him warily...

... And you gasped, frantically scooting away when he began to stalk your direction. A heavy foot came down on your toes to halt your retreat, that out of place grin still ever-present as he hovered over you. Leaning down, he cupped your cheeks and stroked his coarse fingers over your skin.

“shhh, shhh…” he soothed, thumbs brushing away the tears falling from your eyes.

_ Stop… stop… _

You tried to pull away when he pressed his forehead against yours, nuzzling you… but his grip was iron-tight, a wince escaping you as his claws began to dig into your skin.

And then, he tilted your head up and crouched down, pressing his mouth against yours. You froze, his bony lips and teeth rough against your own... and quite nearly screamed had it not been for the desperate need to keep your mouth _ shut _when you felt him lave his tongue over your lips. 

Your nose scrunched as the smell of death seeped from his bones, smothering you.

He pulled back, and then leaned towards your jawbone where his claws had punctured to stroke his tongue over the wounds, lapping up the blood like some kind of desperate _ dog. _ “mmm… ya know, i’d _ kill _for a taste of you… oh wait, i already did.” He chuckled as though he had just said something hilarious and then added on, “been craving to try you out again.” 

You cringed, nothing short of nauseating dread coiling in your gut.

Heart pounding through your chest and into your throat, your body was unwillingly paralyzed in fear as he repeated the motion everywhere he had drawn blood… grabbing your wrist and licking your palm, your arm, your neck… soft, lust-ridden growls and groans tumbling from his mouth all the while.

_ He’s _ ** _sick. _ **

You wanted to fight. You wanted to _ kill him_. The unbidden fury mingling with the terror in your gut yelling at you to slap him, punch him, claw him, _ rip his skull in half_.

... But all you managed to do was sit there, horrified and frozen in place aside from the violent shudders that assaulted your body, _ screaming _internally. 

Why was this happening to you…?

Why you…?

...

Wait…

“Wh-what…” you quaked out, voice a rickety bridge ready to collapse. “Wh-wh-what do you m-mean by ‘again’?”

You almost didn’t want to know…

Red eye pulsing as it passed over you face, Sans grinned. “heh, guess you were a little too drunk to remember…”

Your face paled.

Too… drunk?

No…

You vaguely recalled that night you had stayed in a hotel weeks ago… waking up with a fuzzy memory and an awful hangover, the only evidence being the empty champagne bottle…

… You had blurred memories of Sans from that night that you excused as another nightmare...

But… but… if Sans was being honest…

Was it _ real? _

… Did he do something to you that night?

Did he… did he _ rape you _when you were passed out?

You felt bile rise to your throat as the urge to vomit increased tenfold.

“don’t look so disappointed sweetheart… i’ll make sure you’re awake in the future,” he cooed, stroking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “i know it wasn’t really fair what i did then.”

“D-don’t touch me…” You swatted his hand away. “I’ve told you so many times – don’t touch me!”

He was undeterred – his hand immediately resuming playing with your hair while the other fiddled with the collar of your shirt.

“always surprises me that you’re the shy type,” he hummed, an undeniable tenseness behind his words. “hehe… so eager to show off to them, but you won’t give the time of day to your soulmate?”

Shy…? He kidnapped you, raped you and _ murdered _your friend and he thinks you’re… shy?

More like you wanted to see him erased him from existence.

“don’t you _ want _to be here with your soulmate?”

You shook, unsure if it was from anger or fear, nausea roiling in your gut at the sheer thought of being with _ him_. Was this a trick question…? How could he possibly think that you would actually _ want _this? 

“_No._”

Sans’ features grew tense, red hue constricting and pupils voiding into their sockets. “i see… welp…”

He rose to his full height and leaned over you, making you cower as his expression appeared nothing short of maniacal.

“that’s ok… you’ll figure it out.” His grin widened. “after all… we got the rest of our lives together…”

His gaze raked over your trembling form, settling on your hands. “oh - that reminds me.”

He rummaged in his coat pocket and produced a familiar black box.

When he popped it open you saw… the gold, diamond encrusted engagement ring he had tried to give to you so many months ago. Your throat constricted and you nearly choked on your own spit.

“i know how finicky you humans are about traditions… so maybe this’ll help. i know, i know... you didn’t want it back then, but i think things are different now.” Leaning down once more, he snatched your left hand and slipped the gold band over your ring-finger. “there ya go… beautiful, just like you…”

Even though it likely weighed less than an ounce, your finger had never felt so weighed down as it did in this moment. A stray tear fell from your eyes, streaking down your cheek.

His claws lingered in front of you and you spotted what was undoubtedly _your_ dried blood caked beneath them…

Sans cupped your face, brushing the tear away before pressing his mouth against your forehead in a chaste ‘kiss’. “i’ll let you get adjusted now, feel free to re-arrange the room however you like.”

He stood, that ominous red eye resting on you...

“have a good night, sweetheart.”

… And he vanished.

Leaving you alone in this tiny foreign room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading as always! I <3 every single one of you!


	15. Walls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho boy chapter 15. We are officially halfway through this awful story! Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with me so far! I really thought my audience would be basically zero when I posted this, so it makes me so happy to see that there are people enjoying it! 
> 
> ** Warning: ** Non-consensual touching, psychological abuse, and mild violence.

The moment Sans left, you were on your feet again. Wild panic coursing through you, you grabbed the cold, metal handle of the door and yanked on it with all your might. “Come on… come on! _ Please_!”

It wouldn’t give…

You inspected every inch of it. Although old and rusted, its make was of a heavy, industrial metal – perhaps iron? Or maybe steel. It reminded you of the metal door of a bank vault, similar to the ones you had seen in those heist movies.

Which… didn’t bode well for you.

Where even _ were _you? Was this Sans’ house? His basement…?

Or… somewhere else…?

Blood pounded through your ears as breaths escaped you in hyperventilating pants. Your fingers traced the small cracks of the door, hopeful that you could find _ some way _to open it… to escape…

_ Please… please… _

You couldn’t stay here… you _ couldn’t… _ he was absolutely sick,_ deranged. _

Sweat streaked down your forehead, mingling with the tears staining your cheeks. You licked your lips, a salty taste finding your tongue. All you could think about was what horrible things he had planned for you.

Once more you grasped the door handle and pulled.

Nothing…

Exhaling a shaky sigh, your eyes wandered the room, looking up and down the bland, grey walls… darting from the singular buzzing light on the ceiling… to the old, dirty toilet... before settling on the tattered mattress in the corner…

And you noticed now, next to the mattress there was a small box of what appeared to be protein bars - the same brand you always bought… and a large, metal bowl filled with water.

… Did he actually expect you to drink from that like some kind of _ dog_?

_ No way, _you thought bitterly.

You wouldn’t do a damn thing for him. You wouldn’t just sit here and be his girlfriend, mate... _ whatever _he wanted you to be.

Your eyes drifted to the unbearably heavy ring on your finger. Lips twitching into a snarl, you tore it off and threw it onto the ground, stomping on it until the diamond popped out of the band and rolled across the floor.

_ Fuck him. Damn delusional psycho. _

You would get out of here, or if not that – rescue would come.

People would notice you missing… they _ had _ to. Sans _ had _ to be lying about murdering Alyssa… right? He was just trying to frighten you into compliance. That _ had _to be it.

He’d done this before… with your cat...

Well… you wouldn’t let him scare you.

Alyssa would notice you missing for sure… you had been talking to her more lately! She would notice! She would get help for you… you would be rescued! 

But for now, you continued to scour the room… searching for a way to get out.

You had to get out before he came back. You didn’t even want to consider what he would do to you if you didn’t.

_ \----------------------------------- _

Your throat felt like sandpaper, as though shards of glass were slithering down your esophagus each time you swallowed. Head throbbing, you licked your shriveled and crusted lips, failing to wet them with the little saliva that remained in your mouth. You still weren’t certain if you could speak… having screamed for help until you lost your voice earlier.

Working your tongue around your dry mouth, your eyes drifted to the water bowl…

The water had gone down just slightly as a result of natural evaporation, but it was still… _ there… _

Right in front of you… _ tempting… _

_ … _

You shook your head, clamping your lips shut and forcing yourself to turn away from it.

You wouldn’t accept a damn thing from him. 

Not the food, not the water, _ nothing_. 

You sat in the corner of the small room, refusing to use the lumpy old mattress he had provided you. Although determined not to fall asleep, you would rather rest on the hard, concrete floor if need be.

Rescue… had to be coming… right?

You had reported Sans to the police so many times… your coworkers were aware of Sans… Alyssa was aware of Sans…

They had to _ know. _

You stared at the walls… grey… bland… the longer you looked, the smaller the room seemed to become… as though those walls were closing in on you. Specks of black danced in your vision, blurring in and out.

A shiver worked its way up your spine and you tore your gaze away, once more staring at the door. 

You had to get out.

You had to get out.

You had to get out.

_ Please _let rescue come before he returns.

_ \----------------------------------- _

You drank greedily from the bowl of water, the liquid soothing your cracked and dried throat. It was as though it was the most purified, delicious spring water in the world, and before you knew it, the bowl was over half empty.

Matted hair sticking to your wet cheeks, you stared at the sloshing liquid… nausea churning in your gut as you grew disgusted at yourself for caving… blood rushing to your face at the humiliation for acting like some kind of _ pet. _

But… you needed your strength…

You couldn’t let yourself _die_ from dehydration just to spite him. You would live through this… you would escape… you would be rescued…

You would _ get out. _

A feeling of queasiness hit you, your body nearly rejecting the newfound liquid after drinking such a large amount at once. And it did little to ease the agonizing pounding in your head… nor the deep-pitted hunger that clenched your growling, empty stomach.

You looked towards the untouched box of protein bars… tempted…

...

Sans… hadn’t come to see you at all…

…

_ Good. _

You didn’t want to see him. You never wanted to see his face again, unless it was to watch as he rotted in prison.

You settled your back against the wall, the cold metal penetrating through your shirt and sending a shiver down your body. Goosebumps prickled your arms, prompting you to rub your hands against them to stay warm.

It was…_ cold… _

And you had no blankets… no extra clothes…

_ Not that you would use them if you did. _

How long had it been anyways…?

…

Was Jingles okay…? He was all by himself in your apartment… no food… no one looking after him…

Your throat constricted as the orange feline came to mind. _ Please don’t let him starve. _

No… no…

_ Rescue will come, rescue will come. _

_ He won’t starve, rescue will come. _

_ Rescue will come. _

Slouching against the wall, your lids shut as you unintentionally drifted off to sleep… too exhausted to remain alert any longer…

_ \----------------------------------- _

There were twenty metal rings on the walls. No more, no less.

Three of them were falling apart, copper rust encasing their once silver sheen. And one of them had already fallen victim to age, the bolt that had previously secured it to the metal wall having come loose, leaving one side to dangle and threaten to fall.

The rest seemed old, holding a dull, iron-grey appearance.

You had tried pulling them off of the wall. Maybe they could be used as some kind of weapon?

Or at the very least it was something to distract you from the cramping in your gut. 

You didn’t know how long you had been down here… how many days it had been… but it hadn’t been long since you had succumbed to your hunger and eaten the entire box of protein bars in one sitting.

It wasn’t enough… and still your stomach panged. 

You wound your dirtied fingers around the last ring you had to try and yanked as hard as you could. 

It didn’t budge.

You were certain you had inspected every centimeter of the room at this point… searching for any kind of defect, any possible way you could _ escape_. But everything about it was unremarkable.

You slumped against the wall and buried your face into your hands.

Why…?

Why had no one come for you yet…?

You didn’t understand… 

Was Sans actually telling the truth…? Did he actually _ murder _someone...?

You gritted your teeth together, hands clenching around your face and clawing at your skin. _ No… no… _

You bit your tongue, a coppery taste lingering as blood pooled in your mouth.

_ No... _

…

...

What reason does he have to lie about that…?

Sans had almost killed you before – and he claimed to _ love _you…

… Why would he hold back on someone he _ didn’t _claim to care for?

…

…

_ Oh god… _

You trembled, tears pricking at your eyes, biting your tongue even harder as you yanked at your hair. For a brief moment, you forgot about your near-constant headache… the empty ache in your stomach… all you saw was white, the fury twisting in your gut enough to distract you from your other grievances.

You… you wanted to _ kill him _ … you wanted to break every bone that made up his body. Kill him like he killed _ her. _

_ Prison _was too much of a mercy.

…

Maybe that was his plan for you too… to let you die… to trap you in this room with _ nothing _ until you starved to death. A bitter punishment, a _ torture _ for rejecting him…

But you… you wanted to _ live _ … you wanted to persevere long enough to see justice brought down on him, to see him get what he _ deserves._

He was _evil. _

Your gaze drifted towards the water bowl… now nearly empty. Throat burning from aridness, you licked your lips… tempted…

But you had to conserve it. You had to make it through this.

_ \----------------------------------- _

The water was gone…

You had not lasted long before you caved and drank the rest of it.

It wasn’t enough…

You were desperate enough to drink out of the toilet were that an option… but it didn’t even seem to have functional running water… 

Your throat was so dry… lips shriveled like dehydrated prunes...

But the vehemence coursing through your veins was enough to keep you going… enough to distract from the pain… you would see him _ pay. _

But… where was he…?

_ Where was he? _

_ Where was he? _

_ Where was he? _

You didn’t understand why he had not visited… it had to have been _ days… _ didn’t he _ want _to keep you alive…?

_ No, no… it’s better that he’s not here. _

You wanted nothing to do with _ him_.

A dull pain hammering at your head, dots of light invaded in your bleary vision as you stared at the walls. You swore you saw them moving, coming alive and writhing around you… _ closing in_. You shook your head and squeezed your eyes shut before opening them again… 

… They stopped moving…

Muscles trembling, you forced yourself to stand and ambled over to the mattress, falling on top of it. It was uncomfortable, each individual lump pressing at your body and the scent of mold invading your nostrils.

But you were too exhausted to pay too much mind to it as you drifted to sleep.

_ \----------------------------------- _

You felt… _ something _ prodding at your arm… cold, sharp, coarse…

Moaning, you cracked your eyes open, a dry, seediness prickling at the edges. Your vision blurred… was that Jingles clawing at you? Damn cat always trying to wake you up early for food.

You tried to swat him away. 

... Your palm impacted with something that was definitely _ not _covered in fur…

“sweetie, you gotta wake up…” You were nudged yet again, the coarseness now running down the length of your arm.

_ What the fuck?! _

Memories came flooding back and you were rocketed back into reality. Launching upright, you scooted away from Sans until you were flat against the wall, protectively dragging your knees to your chest. Breaths escaped you in raspy pants, heart galloping in your chest. Goosebumps prickled your skin where he had touched you and you found yourself wanting to scrub the area until the skin sloughed off.

Sans stared at you, a tense grin adorning his face, his damaged eye bright and engorged. He shifted closer and crouched on the bed, balancing a bowl of… something in his hand.

The scent hit your nostrils and you began to salivate, stomach twisting and grumbling. Not even at five-star restaurants had you smelled such a delectable aroma…

You found yourself unintentionally leaning towards the bowl, having to restrain yourself from reaching for it.

Sans’ grin widened. “didja miss me, sweetheart?” he hummed, pupils dancing as they raked down your form. “heh, i know i missed you… but everything i read said i should give ya some time to acclimate before starting the training.”

… Acclimate…? Like a… _ pet _…?

You clenched your jaw, gut twisting. _ Fuck. Him. _

Like hell you’d let him _ train _you.

But you were too weak to protest and merely sat there, brows creased into a scowl as you stared him down.

“awe, don’t be like that, ol' sansy will take care of you_._” He shifted closer, setting the bowl to the side.

Your eyes followed it, seeing now that it appeared to be spaghetti. As though on cue, your stomach growled. 

Red hue flashing, he began to pet your head, coarse phalanges raking through your matted hair. You ground your teeth together and swatted him away – yelping when he abruptly seized said hand. 

And you couldn’t stop yourself from quivering when he pulled the hand close to his face, his heated breath cascading over your sweaty palm…

_ What was he going to do to you? _

Fear coursed through you and you tried to pull back, only to wince when he dug his claws into your scab-ridden wrist.

“lost it already sweetheart?” he hummed, inspecting your fingers with a clinical proficiency. “can’t have that.”

Rising from the mattress, Sans retrieved the golden band from the corner you had thrown it so many days ago. As he sat back down, your wrist was snatched yet again and he slid it back onto your ring finger.

The heaviness returned…

“we’ll fix it later, but-“ His expression darkened. “take it off again and we’ll have to find a way to make sure you _ can’t _remove it.”

He nuzzled his face against your hand – an action that made you recoil. You shook, your weakened muscles protesting at the movement, and you wanted nothing more than to tear the ring off and throw it at his face.

How could someone think this was an okay way to treat another living being…? 

“bet you’re hungry.”

You perked up, mouth unintentionally salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs.

“hehe, thirsty too… look at that.” His gaze drifted towards the dry water bowl and empty box of protein bars. “guess i didn’t leave enough – whoops. good thing i’m here now.”

“P-please…” you croaked out, voice a quiet rasp, “just let me go…”

His eyes found yours, that haunting red hue constricting and grin turning rigid. “you should know better than to ask that.” Hand finding his empty socket, he yanked on it once. “once you…” Another yank. “… _ understand _ the desire of your soul, you’ll see this is _ right. _”

_ No. _

_ That will _ ** _never _ ** _ happen. _

But you wisely kept your mouth shut, merely grimacing in response. You had to bide your time… wait for an opportunity to escape…

You couldn’t antagonize.

... But that was growing more difficult by the second. You couldn’t even _ look _ at him without being reminded of all the things he had done. What he was doing to you _ right now. _

Sans reached behind himself, grabbing a pitcher of what appeared to be water and holding it out to you. “here.”

Your hands twitched as you eyed it, throat burning at the mere sight of the transient liquid sloshing in the container. The prospect of accepting anything from him made your gut twist in anger... but you were so thirsty…

“_water _ you waiting for? _ take it,” _Sans insisted with a lopsided grin, his pun seeming so… out of place…

Hands trembling, you reached out to grasp the container from him... and wasted no time in gulping it down, the liquid feeling nothing short of heavenly as it streamed down your dried, cracked throat. Your stomach roiled at the sudden introduction, but you didn’t care.

“careful, sweetheart,” San cooed before grabbing the container and pulling it away from you. “i know you humans need lots of water but don’t wanna overdo it, ya know?”

Your cheeks burned as you watched him warily… _ fuck him… god damn bastard… fucking psycho… _

You didn’t even want the water… you didn’t need it… you only drank it because he forced you.

That was definitely the only reason.

…

The aroma of hot, steaming spaghetti invaded your nostrils yet again.

It smelled _ so _good.

…

No. No. You couldn’t. You couldn’t accept food from him.

You’d rather starve.

…

It was so tempting though. And when Sans set the warm bowl at your feet, silver fork jutting out of the delectable looking noodles, poised and ready for you to dig in, your stomach growled in protest.

“did ya forget your manners, sweetie?” Sans spoke, tone lazy yet reprimanding, like a teacher uncaringly disciplining a misbehaved student. “nice thing to do is say ‘thank you’ when your mate takes care of you.”

...

Takes… _ care of you?_

Kidnapping you and depriving you of basic human necessities for _ days_, and he thought that finally deciding to offer those necessities was _ taking care of you?_

And he expected a _ thank you?_

Memories came rushing back… Alyssa’s face flashed through your mind… her smile… the way she was always there for you…

And it wasn’t just you that benefited from her kindness… she was an active participant in the community, always involved in charities… she even actively supported monster rights… and now she was just… _ gone… _

She was gone forever because of ** _him. _ **

Your lip twitched and without taking a moment to consider it, you snatched the bowl off the mattress and hurled it at his head.

Sans dodged it, the ceramic bowl whizzing past him just inches from his skull and shattering against the metal wall. Sharp remnants of the bowl and burnt noodles scattered across the ground, red sauce splattering against the walls.

You continued to snarl… and then immediately backpedaled when his face tensed and twitched, crimson light shrinking in such a way that you had come to learn meant he was _ pissed. _

… And fear found you yet again. 

Trembling, you began to scoot away from him.

Without uttering a word, Sans rose from his seated position and turned towards the newly-made mess on the mattress. Left socket buzzing with hints of cyan, a translucent blue encased the fork and shattered ceramic shards, lifting them and tossing them across the room.

And then he set his eyes on _you_.

You cowered as he stalked towards you, a fearful squeak slipping past your lips. No, no, no, no… why, why? Why did you have to do that? You should have just eaten it like he requested! 

“S-sor-“

You were cut off, skull erupting in white, hot pain as he grasped your hair and dragged you over to the mess of spaghetti. He tossed you onto your hands and knees in front of it.

“i’m not a wasteful kind of guy,” he ground out as he stood over you. “eat it.”

A shiver ran down your spine as you stared down at the scattered noodles, no doubt dirtied and germ-ridden. But… it almost didn’t matter to you, your stomach grumbling as the scent hit you once more. You were so hungry...

Blood rushing to your face, you choked as you tried to hold back tears, shame burning within you at the sheer prospect of being forced to eat off of the floor like some animal…

You didn’t want… _ this… _

“_eat it,_ or i’ll force it down your throat,” he snarled as he pressed a heavy foot onto your shoulder blades and shoved you into the ground, red sauce smearing across your lips and cheeks. “heh… don’t give me that look. you had the chance to use a bowl.”

You whimpered as the pressure on your back grew painful… but after a few more seconds, he released you. Grimacing, you pushed yourself up to a seated position before reluctantly using your hands to shovel the noodles into your mouth. His gaze seared into your back all the while, and you did your best to ignore it as your face burned.

You had eaten better pasta… but it wasn’t that bad. Maybe it would taste worse if it wasn’t for the fact that you were starving… or maybe it would taste better if you weren’t being forced to consume it under these circumstances.

Humiliating didn’t even begin to describe it.

Eventually, you finished, the only remnants of the meal being the red sauce smearing the ground. A too-full sensation pressed at your shrunken stomach and a burp escaped you while you made a vain effort to keep the food down. You wiped your mouth with your shirt, cheeks still flushed as you eyed him warily.

At least… at least you would have energy now… you needed nourishment to be able to escape this...

“hehehe, that’s a good girl,” Sans cooed, that perma grin scrunched as though he was trying to hold back the punch line. “hope ya liked it… took me hours to prep your cat for it.”

_ What?! _

You choked on your own spit, coughing, your efforts to not vomit nearly flying out the window when a sudden pressure built at your throat. 

Sans cackled, grabbing your shirt and pulling you upright. “_relax_, it’s just a _ joke_.” His bones continued to shake, as if teetering on the edge of breaking down into hysterics. “don’t know what’s in it – my bro made it. could be his _ special sauce_, who knows.” He shrugged. “the damn cat is fine, i’ve been taking _ good care of it.” _

All you could do was sit there in shock, quivering as you stared at him with widened eyes. _ Why… how could he be so cruel? _

You hesitated to ask what he meant by ‘special sauce’. A part of you… would rather not know…

Wiping a trail of saliva from your mouth, he ran his thumb over your lips. “really thought you had a sense of humor when i first met ya… guess i was wrong, heh. just a buzzkill like the rest of the humans.”

His pupils wandered south and he abruptly snatched your hand, pulling it close to his face. You winced as he ran his course phalanges over the scabbed punctures that had just begun to mend, still swollen and red from the trauma. “seems to be doin' alright,” he commented, stroking a hand down your arm in such a way that it could be described as soothing had it not been for your current… _ situation_. “monster food has healing properties, so should be patched up in no time. isn’t that a good thing, sweetheart?”

You didn’t respond.

Nothing about this was good_. _

He pressed his nasal cavity against your wrist and inhaled. A shudder found you, remembering how he had _ licked _ you there not too long ago. Was he going to do that _ again_? 

Sans leaned back, eyeing you, and you shrunk further against the wall when his pupils glinted in a way you_ really didn’t like. _

You weren’t dumb… you knew his intentions…

You knew what he wanted.

You had only prayed that it wouldn’t progress to that before you were rescued.

He began to crawl towards you… and you panicked, heart pounding and eyes darting around, searching for an escape.

But there was nothing, and as you tried to retreat further away from him, you only found more wall.

“c’mon precious, throw me a _ bone _here…”

His voice came out in a low growl, that tight, humorless grin stuck on his face. A clawed hand reached towards you and grasped at the collar of your shirt. His other hand trailed down to stroke your thigh… dangerously close to the _ last _ place you wanted him to touch...

Body locking up, you began to hyperventilate. _ No, no, no, no… Think! Think! Do something! Don’t let him do this! _

… But nothing came to mind… and all you managed was a weak glare, your too-full gut tensing as you pled to every deity in existence that he _ wasn’t _going to try to do what you dreaded he might.

He chuckled lightly at you, dipping his hand between your thighs as he gazed at you with a smoldering intensity. Seeming to search for any kind of reaction. “could make you feel real good if ya let me…”

“N-no,” you stammered, flinching away when a skeletal hand wandered beneath your shirt and pressed at your abdomen, making your stomach protest painfully. “I-I’m not ready, I’m not ready for… _ t-this.” _

Smile falling and jaw going slack, Sans pulled away... and you thought that maybe you had reached him… 

.... Until his expression darkened into a scowl, pupils voiding in their sockets and red hue narrowing into a single, chaotic speck. 

“not ready, huh...?”

The dot of red quivered unevenly around the edges.

“…. _ not… ready…?” _ His hands were on you again, making you shriek in alarm. “heh, like _ hell _you aren’t ready… i’ve seen what you do.”

“you just need to-“

His hands fisted the material of your clothes, the ripping of fabric echoing through the room. 

“-get used to me.”

Your shirt was torn from your body, the cool air now biting at your skin. Heart beating through your throat, you began to struggle when he targeted your bra next, claws mercilessly shredding the straps.

“i get it, you must be scared when it’s with me-“

Blood rushed to your face when your chest was forcibly exposed, his pupils reappearing in their sockets to rake down your form. Snatching your legs, he yanked you onto the ground and straddled you, grabbing at your waistband.

“St-sto-“

“i was nervous too… hehe… we’re soulmates after all…”

You tried to kick him, only for him to seize your foot, pain rocketing through you when he twisted it to the point of near-dislocation. The knowledge that you’d never be able to escape with a broken ankle seared through your mind and you instantly stilled. Sans released you in return. His clawed phalanges returned to hook around your waistband… sliding both your pants and underwear down your legs…

“but don’t _ worry... _i’ll help ya understand… i’ll help ya learn…”

Sans tossed your now tattered clothing to the side, a wide smile rising to his face when his gaze returned to you. You began to cry, skin growing hot despite the cold as humiliation coursed through your veins. You… you couldn’t let him _ see… _

Pulling your legs to your stomach and wrapping your arms around your chest, you curled into the tiniest ball possible... only for him to pry your limbs back apart.

“beautiful, sweetheart… just gorgeous…” he hummed as ran his hands down your sides, groping at your hips. “you don’t have anything to be embarrassed about, hehe.”

Goosebumps prickled at your skin everywhere he touched, muscles locking up as you felt him trail closer and _ closer _ to your privates… taunting… _ teasing… _

You grabbed his wrists and locked eyes with him… pleading… “No… _no… _I said _no_… please…” you managed between terrified sobs.

His grin tensed, the air growing dense as his left eye began to swirl with hints of blue, and you found your body pinned to the ground by that _ awful _magic of his.

“shhh, shhh…” He cradled your face in his hands, wiping the tears from your cheeks and pressing his forehead against yours. “it’s alright, don’t be scared.”

“i gotcha… i gotcha…”

“everything will be fine…”

But everything was _ not _fine… and the longer you stared into his abyssal sockets… the longer you listened to his words of false comfort and affection, the more intense your rage grew – returning with a vengeance. Your body shook violently… but at this point you weren’t certain if it was from fear… or your internal ire, your deep-pitted odium.

_ Murderer. _

_ Rapist. _

How could he _ pretend _ that this was all _ fine _ and _ normal? _

_ … _

“i love you, sweetheart.”

_ I hate you. _

_ I hate you. _

** _“I hate you,” _ **you wheezed out in a raspy whisper, the magical pressure on your body growing near-suffocating.

At your admission, his jaw tensed, grin morphing into a rigid frown. His hands trembled at your face, the light of his eyes growing dim and sockets drooping… and you couldn’t tell if he was trying to hold himself back from crying… or restrain himself from throttling you.

“This... this isn’t _ love _…” You were well aware you had already begun to dig yourself a grave… why not dig deeper? It was better than being raped. “You don’t do things like this to the ones you love!”

Hands leaving your face, Sans stared at you, his blown-out eye rapidly changing sizes as hints of blue sparked around the edges. His brow twitched, teeth grinding audibly together… and then his socket blazed to life in a burst of cyan.

Instinctively, you sucked in a breath. _ No, no… please no… not again... _

Your chest burned as the pressure on it increased tenfold, like a hydraulic press was _ slowly _coming down on you. Vision blanking in and out, you choked as the compression began to collapse your lungs.

But he didn’t prolong the torture… and you were released, the feeling slowly returning to your numbed limbs as his magic dissipated. When your vision cleared, you saw that he was now standing… pacing the room like a rabid carnivore and phalanges intermittently tugging at his empty socket.

You quickly pushed yourself up, flattening your back against the wall and drawing your legs to your chest. Wheezing in desperate gasps of air, your tear-streaked eyes consistently darted between Sans and searching the room for something that could be used as a weapon.

You spotted the sharpened ceramic shards in the corner from when you had broken the bowl earlier…

But before you had a chance to crawl towards them, Sans rounded on you. His expression nothing short of maniacal, he growled, “it’s _ you _ that doesn’t _ get it._”

“we… we’re _ linked _ by our very _ souls_.” He grabbed a fistful of your hair, dragging a yelp from you as he craned your head back. “i deserve you… i _ deserve _ your love. i ** _deserve _ **my soulmate.”

_ Souls don’t _ ** _fucking exist _ ** _ you damn psycho, _you thought scathingly to yourself… but you bit your tongue.

Sans released your hair before turning away and yanking at his socket once more while muttering in a whisper, “haven’t i been through enough? …i deserve this, i deserve this, i _ deserve this.”_

Stalking over to where the water pitcher had been left, he grabbed it and refilled the water bowl with the remaining liquid before collecting the ceramic shards and fork into the now-empty container. He rambled to himself all the while, but you couldn’t make out what he was saying.

And then without even looking at you, he disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you so much for reading and happy holidays to those who celebrate them and have a fantastic New Year! <3 I sincerely hope you had a better year than our poor MC. :3


	16. Sans: Dissonance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, lets take a look at what's been going on inside Sans' head...
> 
> ** Warning: ** Non-consensual elements, blood, violence.

The bed was hard.

Lumpy... uncomfortable_... _

Sans thought that… everything would be good once he had you here with him. That once he finally brought you home, forced you to remain where you _ belonged… _you would realize your connection to him...

That you would reciprocate… love him back…

That he wouldn’t have to force anything more on you and you would accept him with open arms. You would ask him for his mark… request to be intimate with only him_… _ long to bond souls with him and him alone…

But you… you still rejected him…

Told him that you ** _hated him._ **

His skull throbbed at the memory, rocketing down his spinal cord in a way that brought an agonizing rattle to his bones.

His mate, his love, his human.

You had no idea how much work he put in to get you here… risking himself to dispose of those that might get in the way… going to lengths to ensure that those who remained had no idea you were gone…

He wouldn’t let anyone interfere. And if someone started snooping around… he’d get rid of them, just like your nosy friend. 

He just… he had to help you learn… help you understand the link you and him shared.

You would come around, right? You wouldn’t always… hate... him…

…

Stars, he loved you.

He tossed himself onto his side, dragging the bunched-up blanket in the corner to his ribcage. Embracing it, he fantasized that it was you… your squishy, warm body curled up against him, sleeping softly in his arms; your honey-like scent filling his nasal cavity. He buried his face into the blanket, reveling in the softness and hugging it even tighter against his chest.

You were so close, just within his reach…

He could easily go get you… bring you back here so that he would have the real thing to cuddle with.

But you wouldn’t allow that, would you? You would fight him every step of the way, just like earlier.

His soul twisted at the memory, bones tensing as he found himself tempted to hurt _ you_… make you feel exactly what _ he _ was feeling.

…

He didn’t want to hurt you though…

He just… sometimes it was necessary_… _you didn’t understand the will of your own soul, so he had to train you.

Show you how things should be...

…

…

Even the mere act of walking through his own house was painful now. Everywhere he looked all he could think of was… you… you being there… living there with him… 

Going for a peaceful walk in the woods with you…

A lazy weekend lounging next to you on the couch while eating snacks and binging a show...

Walking into the kitchen to see you cooking a nice, warm meal just for him… flashing him that gorgeous smile that he just _ loved… _

Falling asleep next to you… hearing you tell him that you loved him back…

His soulmate…

His one and only soulmate…

... With all he had been through, didn't the universe at least owe him that?

The thoughts cycled through his mind on repeat.

_ i deserve her. _

** _i deserve her._ **

** _nothing _ ** _ will take her away from me. _

\--------

The very next day, Sans ducked out of work early to tend to you. He stepped through the void, food and water clutched in hand as he rematerialized in the room you now resided in.

His pupils wandered the room until he spotted you, curled up into a ball atop the mattress. You instantly took note of him and scrambled to a seated position. Gaze firm on him, your eyes were wary despite the way your brows creased into a glare.

Inspecting your form, he noticed that your clothes were only haphazardly put on: your shirt in tattered ribbons, it was tied around your chest like a tube top, the torn remains of your bra going unworn and strewn across the room. Your jeans were adorned with various rips and tears, but you appeared to be wearing them normally.

He couldn’t help but stare, feeling the heated rush of magic grace his cheekbones.

Had he… really lost control that much yesterday?

…

...

_ oh well. _

It was his right as your soulmate anyways… him holding back was simply a _ courtesy. _

He could be a patient guy.

“hey, how’s it going sweetheart?” he greeted, setting the water pitcher on the ground and crouching in front of you. “brought you a hotdog.”

He offered the hotdog to you, tilting his head and grin widening. “woulda brought ya a hot cat, but you weren’t about that yesterday.”

You flinched, scowl deepening as you scooted further away from him. He could just vaguely see you trembling, your arms wrapping tighter around your knees in an apparent effort to hide yourself.

His soul twisted.

You were… so scared of him, cowering like a terrified doe.

His jaw tensed, a rattle finding his bones, but he pushed on. He wouldn’t give up. He just had to _ show you... _

“are ya cold, sweetie?” he inquired, eyeing the tiny bumps that scattered your shivering arms. Shit, he forgot that humans were sensitive to temperature. 

No response…

“lemme help ya…”

He scooted closer, settling himself against the wall next to you and unzipping his coat. 

Your eyes widened. “N-no…” 

Your quivering grew even more violent when he slithered an arm around your shoulder, pulling you flush against his body and wrapping his coat snugly around you.

Lip trembling, you pressed a hand against his ribcage. “Don’t… don’t touch me.”

“oh calm down, i’m just tryin’ to warm ya up,” Sans assured with a tight grin. “i’d do _ anything _for you, precious.”

This did little to relax you and you continued to quake. But nonetheless, you stopped struggling and simply sat there as he hugged you. Sans allowed himself to remain like this for some time, savoring the affection that he had so desired the night prior. But… your reluctance was… off-putting…

He was trying to be nice. A _ good _mate.

_ why, why, why, why. _

_ Why _ couldn’t you just ** _love _ **him?

He pulled back, mouth twitching around the edges as he forced a rigid grin. “hey…”

“didja hear about the guy whose left side was cut off…?”

…

“he’s all _ right _now.” 

You remained silent - not even the tiniest chuckle escaping you, your only reaction a mild flinch. 

Sans’ smile fell. He missed your laugh… 

But he was determined. 

“well, how about the skeleton that was attacked by a group of rabid snowdrakes?” 

… 

“he _ marrowly _escaped.” 

Again nothing…

He gripped you tighter, making you stiffen. 

“heh, what happened sweetheart? you used to think i was _ humerus.” _

He remembered! You used to laugh at his jokes at the bar all the time. But now… now you wouldn’t even _ look _at him without hate.

Why… why...

… Was he going about this the wrong way…?

...

No...

He exhaled harshly, hand trailing down to your calf as he pulled away, and in return you let out a relieved sigh. 

Another rattle, a tug of his socket. His head _ pounded _and he grit his teeth, attempting to ignore the way his soul constricted and continue on as planned.

“here.” He again offered you the hotdog.

Your gaze hovered on it, and you seemed to lean towards it... but still, you wouldn’t take it. Sans didn’t understand – he didn’t understand at all. You had to be hungry. How could you not be grateful of what he was offering you?

A jolt of pain coursed through his skull. How could _ anyone _turn down food…? <strike>Someday there might not _be_ anymore food.</strike>

“hehe…” His grin grew tense, claws thrumming against your leg. “… would you rather i ** _force you_**_?” _

There was a small pause… but that was all the prompting it took for you to grab the hotdog from him and take a small bite, only offering a weak glare in protest. Sans watched intently as you consumed it, soul swelling.

He could make you happy.

He was doing the right thing.

“see, things can be _ good _ with me if you let them, sweetheart,” Sans hummed, hand trailing up your back and grasping a strand of tangled hair. Despite its disheveled appearance, it felt so soft in his fingers. Leaning in close, he pressed his nasal cavity against the side of your head and inhaled deeply... _ so sweet… _ “just give in to me…”

You gasped, a whimper slipping past your lips as you shrunk away from him. Sans rumbled out a growl in warning, gripping your hair to halt your attempted retreat.

“St-stop.”

Hand running over your collarbone, he traced your breasts and played with the fabric that concealed them. It would be so easy just to rip it off…

A small groan escaped him, magic shifting in his pelvis

Did you even have any idea how badly he wanted to fuck you? How hard he was trying to hold back…?

...

You took a sharp intake of breath, wiggling against him. His hand trailed lower, smoothing over your tensed abdomen and he felt… a stickiness. Leaning down, he sniffed – an action that made you flinch.

Smelled like… vomit…

Did you throw up what he fed you yesterday? He couldn’t find any remains of it, but it definitely reeked of that. He clenched his teeth, pain again shooting through his skull at the thought of food being _ wasted. _

But no, he had to be a good mate… yeah… yeah…

You were just… nervous…

He would take care of you.

Be calm… _ breathe… _

“do you want a shower, sweetheart?” he asked, rocking back and once more allowing his pupils to travel down your form. Papyrus wouldn’t be home for another hour or two, so this would be the perfect time to clean you up.

At his words, you perked up and offered him a mute nod.

Eagerness bringing a quiver to his bones, Sans fixed his jaw before leaning forward and tapping his teeth. “give me a kiss… and i’ll consider it...”

Baby steps… right…? He could… _ ease you into it… _

But you appeared as though you had just been struck by lightning, openly gaping at him for a few seconds before your brows narrowed into a weak glare. “… Are you _ serious_?” you growled out in a stalwart whisper, “**_No_**_.” _

…

…

When it came to you, rejection should be an old friend to him… but in this moment, Sans felt as though he had just been slapped. It was… just a _ kiss_… was it that horrible to simply kiss him…? 

...

You looked at him like he was the most revolting thing in the world...

A flinch found his bones and without another thought, he grabbed your head and crashed his mouth into yours. 

You whimpered and pushed at his ribcage… but he didn’t care. Physical affection was important to monsters… he needed this… no… he _ deserved _it...

Magic simmering, he worked his mouth against yours, summoning all his power to make the kiss as good as he possibly could. With magic, he could give himself the feeling of normal, soft lips… make it feel simply, well, _ magical_, for something like a human to kiss him.

But you seemed not to appreciate his efforts, making protesting noises and fighting against him all the while. 

_ i _ ** _deserve_ ** _ this. _

Sans parted his mouth, tongue snaking out and rubbing keenly along your lips, begging for entrance. 

Your lips remained firmly clamped shut.

He growled, bones rattling, and yanked _ hard _on your hair to force a gasp out of you. And he took that opportunity to shove his tongue into your mouth. You made a choking noise, tongue awkwardly working against his. And he couldn’t tell if you were beginning to return the kiss… or attempting to push him away...

He decided that he didn’t care.

He could enjoy it either way. He could… _ pretend. _

Eventually, he released you, drawing back and allowing you to fall backward as you recoiled away. He chose to ignore that. A surge of satisfaction found him as he admired the luminescent blue that stained your lips... which you hurriedly wiped off with the back of your hand. 

… He couldn’t ignore that… and his grin dropped to a frown, soul twisting once more.

“guess you really are a whore, taking payment for favors,” he mocked out of frustration, grin returning as he stood.

You scowled, cheeks tinting red. “I’m not a _whore,” _you spat, “you _forced _me.”

“heh, whatever you say,” Sans spoke with a tilt of his head, choosing to disregard your outburst as he outstretched his hand towards you. You were probably just embarrassed! He always thought himself a good kisser. “c’mon, we got places to be.”

After some hesitation, you took it and he pulled you to your feet.

“get in close and hold on tight, sweetheart,” he cooed, hugging you to his chest. “wouldn’t want you to get lost in the void.”

At his words, your eyes widened and you gripped his coat - an action that made his soul thrum. You felt so good pressed up against him… so warm… _ soft… _

A smirk rose to his face. Maybe he should scare you like this more often. 

He placed his hand on the small of your back and allowed the void to overtake you and him, the surroundings fading into darkness before the luminescent scenery of his bathroom materialized.

He released his hold on you and you stumbled away, grasping onto the counter for stability; seemingly dizzied from the trip.

In the few times he had teleported with you, you had never responded well to the effects of the void, sometimes even appearing as though you might vomit or pass out. Perhaps it was a human thing… after all he frequently teleported with Papyrus, who never struggled with it.

But it didn’t take long before you were able to right yourself, body wobbling as you turned to face him. Your gaze darted between him and the shower, distrusting, as though you were certain it was some kind of trick. 

“go on, i said you could, right? _ showerly _ it won’t hurt ya.” Sans winked and gestured grandly to the shower. “i want you looking squeaky clean for me.” 

A light red graced your cheeks and you briefly scowled at his words before swallowing. “Can I… can I have some privacy?” you winced out, flush deepening. “Please.”

_ awe… adorable… _

His cute little mate.

But he could see what you were trying to do.

Sans scoffed and took a large step towards you. You shrunk back against the counter, cowering.

“precious… do ya think I’m stupid? nah, you either shower with me here or you don’t shower at all. i _ promise _i don’t bite.”

You shivered, a strangled noise forcing past your throat. Rocking your body, you remained frozen in place, wrapping your arms around your chest and refusing to take your eyes off him

Why…? Why didn’t you want to? He was trying to be _ nice _to you…

Was it because… you didn’t want him to see you naked…?

He growled, agony ripping through his skull. You needed to _ get over _that. You didn’t have anything to be shy about around him. 

Soulmates should… _ always _ be comfortable around each other… he… he… wasn’t going to do anything to you… you should trust him… ** _you should trust him… _ **

“make your choice, _ human_,” he growled, patience whittling down to a mere thread that threatened to snap. He snatched your arm, tearing it from your chest and shoving you towards the shower.

You stumbled forward, catching the counter. Scrambling to the shower, you tore open the curtain and jumped behind it, sparing one last distrusting look towards Sans before slamming it shut. For a long moment, there was nothing but silence… and then the remnants of your clothes were tossed over the rod and onto the floor.

Sans leaned against the closed door of the bathroom, watching with peaked interest as the audible sound of water sputtering on sounded from behind the curtain. He allowed his imagination to run wild, the imagery of the suds foaming on your soft skin and water streaming down your body invading his mind. 

His soul shuddered.

It was tempting for him to shed his clothes and join you.

But he didn’t.

He could allow you privacy. He could be… patient_… _

_ baby steps. _

His gaze drifted to your clothes on the ground… and without giving it a second thought, he grabbed them and hid them in the cupboard. This was necessary… you had to get used to him.

An hour must have passed before the water finally shut off and you peeked your head around the curtain, eyes darting around before settling on him, face flushed.

“C-can I have a towel?” Your voice was hesitant, just barely a whisper.

Sans’ brow twitched as he watched you obscure your body behind the curtain. What was there to hide? He had already seen everything. But, instead of lashing out at you in a knee-jerk reaction, he casually pushed himself off of the counter and grabbed a towel, unfolding it in his hands. 

He shot you a devilish grin. “of course you can sweetheart, come out and get it.”

You trembled, face darkening to a deeper shade of red. “Can I just-”

“_get out here _ ** _now_ **,” Sans growled, soul clenching. He noticed you flinch at his harsh tone and then added on in a softer voice, “... c’mon… lemme take care of you…” 

You still seemed… _ hesitant... _ but ultimately complied after a few moments of idling. Stepping out of the shower, water dripping from your soaked body and sopping wet hair, you hugged your arms to your chest before stiffly trudging over to him.

The moment you were within reach, he wrapped the towel around your body, rubbing it over your chest, along your back, over the swell of your hips and down your legs, before trailing back up to your head and patting it against your dripping hair. You shook the entire time, swatting at him when he drew too close to… _ certain areas _... but ultimately remained quiet and still. 

“there ya go… good girl.”

It was only when he finished and tossed the towel to the ground did you emit a protesting whine, making motion to reach for it. He halted this attempt, snatching your wrist and dragging you closer. Sinking his nasal cavity into the crook of your neck, he nuzzled you, arms looping around your back.

A shudder found him when he inhaled. You smelled like nothing else imaginable. _ Stars_, it was _ so good_.

You, on the other hand, began to sob, noises escaping you in rasping whines as you continued to quake in his grasp.

“Please just let me go home… if you truly care for me, you’ll let me _ go home_,” you choked out, “I promise I won’t tell… I won’t… I won’t…”

Sans felt as though his soul shattered at your words. But he pretended not to hear and instead began to stroke your head, affectionately pressing his bony lips to your temple. “shhh, there there, it’s okay… don’t cry… i gotcha… everything will be alright...”

He closed his eyes… blocking out your crying, your distressed whines… the strangled “no” that escaped your quivering lips going unheard by him. He imagined you embracing him back… your arms wrapped around him, small fingers curled over the back of his ribcage… your soul humming in sync with his, eager and ready to bond…

_ Stars… _

He loved you so ** _much_ ** _ ... _

And in his mind, he heard your voice… words of affection spilling from your lips...

_ -“I love you too Sans.”- _

His magic swirled and simmered within him, pooling at his jaw. You wanted his mark right…? If not now, you would eventually… once you _ understood_, you would want it...

_ -“Promise you’ll never leave me?”- _

All he had to do was shift down to your neck and _ bite_. It would be _ so _easy. There was nothing stopping him. He already marked you magically… it shouldn’t be a big deal to do it physically…

_ -“Please stay with me forever.”- _

But his fantasy was torn from him when you began to struggle and push against him… trying to get away from _ him._ He huffed, magic dissipating as he held you firmer, pressing his jawbone hard into your temple. 

_ just let me have this moment. just let me have it. just for a bit… _

_ i deserve this. _

However, his ‘moment’ was cut short when he heard the front door of his house slam shut, heavy footsteps thundering against the floorboards below before stomping up the stairs. 

“SANS!” 

Sans froze upon hearing the undeniably familiar voice, his hold on you growing slack. _ “shit.” _

You took apparent advantage of this and shoved away from him, your gaze trailing towards the door...

Sans just barely had enough time to lunge forward and catch you just as you made a dash for it. He wrapped his hand around your mouth, muffling the banshee scream that you let loose moments later.

Should he shortcut away or should he wait, should he shortcut or wait. Shit, shit, shit.

He didn’t have time to decide though before his brother pounded on the door, rattling the entire frame. “SANS I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE! WHY AREN’T YOU AT WORK?”

His grip on you tightened as you again struggled against him, trying to pry his hand off of you, muffled cries for help spilling from your lips.

“quiet, he won’t help you anyways,” Sans hissed, before speaking casually to his brother, “sorry paps, spilled some ketchup on my shirt at work so came home to clean up.”

“I AM SICK OF YOUR EXCUSES, YOU LAZYBONES! THE EMPLOYEE TOLD ME THAT YOU TOLD HIM THAT YOU WERE GOING TO GRILLBY’S!” Papyrus boomed, the floor shaking in such a way that Sans could vividly imagine him stomping against it.

“oh yeah, almost forgot about that,” Sans spoke with a laugh, dragging both himself and you further away from the door as you made another grab for the handle. “can ya blame me? grillbz finally opened his bar back up after months of it being closed, i had to go cheer him on. woulda brought you home a burg’ but i know you don’t have the _ stomach _for it.”

“THAT IS NOT FUNNY, I AM BEING SERIOUS!” Papyrus huffed, although Sans could practically hear him smiling. “BESIDES, YOU KNOW I DON’T EAT THAT DISGUSTING JUNK FOOD. I HAVE STANDARDS! MY SPAGHETTI IS INFINITELY BETTER.”

“... hi serious, i’m sans…”

“... NYEH! I DON’T KNOW WHY I EVEN BOTHER!” Papyrus groaned.

There was more stomping… and Sans exhaled a sigh of relief when he heard what appeared to be Papyrus leaving, his grip on you loosening… 

… Until he heard his voice again-

“HEY SANS…” 

The voice was hesitant… curious… the audible sound of sniffing present from behind the door... 

“DID YOU HAVE A HUMAN OVER? IT SMELLS VERY PECULIAR IN HERE TODAY.” 

_ shit. _

Sans forced a laugh, claws unintentionally digging into your face as he tensed once more. “uh, no paps? rather not spend more time ‘round humans than i already have to. must be from grillbz place - reeked of human in there today”

There was a pause.

“... SANS YOU SHOULD NOT LET YOUR OPINION OF HUMANS BE SHAPED BY ONE BAD EGG. THERE ARE TONS OF INCREDIBLE HUMANS OUT THERE.”

Right… Sans could count the number of ‘incredible’ humans on one hand… using one finger…

“IN FACT I WAS EXCITED TO THINK THAT MAYBE YOU WERE BEING MORE SOCIAL WITH HUMANS AGAIN! LIKE THAT ONE YOU MET AT THAT OTHER BAR. IT WOULD BE A GREAT IMPROVEMENT! SAY - WHAT HAPPENED TO HER ANYWAYS?”

Sans hugged your struggling form closer, sweat beading on his skull and shifting. _ don’t worry bro… you’ll see her again eventually… but not yet… just leave… _

“guess you could say we grew apart, but don’t worry - she’s still within my _ radius._” 

“SANS! STOP! NO WONDER SHE DOESN’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU WITH HORRIBLE PUNS LIKE THAT!” 

“hehe what’s wrong paps? got a _ bone _ to pick with me? _ tibia _ honest, i think you just need to be a little more _ humerus._”

Shit, he already used that one today. He was certainly off his game given the… _ circumstances… _

Either way, it worked, because Sans could practically hear Papyrus fuming from behind the door. Sans could imagine it now… the bones on his face crinkled, flushing orange as he made an effort not to scream...

…

_ just leave pap… _

…

And then Sans heard it - the scream.

“_NYEH! _ HOW ABOUT YOU START PUTTING A LITTLE MORE _ BACKBONE _INTO YOUR JOB SANS?! SEE?! THE GREAT PAPYRUS CAN BEST ANYONE AT THE ART OF HUMOR! NYEHEHEH!”

Followed by audible thumping as Papyrus stomped back down the stairs, practically shaking the entire house.

Sans finally exhaled the deep breath he was holding in, bones relaxing. Wasting no time, he stepped into the void - dragging you with him, and teleported back to your room.

“close one, eh?” he hummed against your ear before releasing you.

You immediately recoiled away, toppling to the ground and stumbling over yourself in your effort to retreat from him. 

Sans snorted, clicking his teeth. _ being a little dramatic there, honey. _

But you deserved to be scared for the stunt you pulled back there.

He towered over you, a tense grin adorning his features. “don’t know why you had to make that so difficult, sweetheart.”

“my bro likes humans it’s true, but heh, he’d _ never _sell out his own brother.”

You shivered, eyeing him warily as you drew your legs into your chest in seeming effort to hide your still-nude form. “My… my clothes,” you croaked out, “w-where are my clothes?”

Sans shrugged. “don’t need em… i’ll bring ya some blankets to stay warm.” His grin widened. “you need to get used to me… and i think this is the perfect way to help ya along.”

You flushed, choking as you once more began to cry. Sans wasted no time in kneeling next to you, cupping your face and wiping away the tears. “shhh, shhh… you need to stop crying so much, sweetheart… it’s not good for you.”

_ she’ll be happy someday… then all this will be worth it, _he reminded himself.

He pressed a kiss to your forehead. “but i also think… you should apologize for trying to get away from me back there…”

“what do you say…?”

No response…

You simply continued to sob.

Sans grit his teeth together. **“****_what do you say?”_ **

You squeaked as he began to dig his claws into your face, before mumbling out, “I-I’m sorry…”

His pupils wandered… your neck; it looked so delicate… so tempting…

“i’m sorry _ who_.”

“I’m sorry… Sans.” 

The name was rough and quiet on your lips… but… you said it.

His name… _ his name… _

His soul _ swelled_. He wanted to hear you say it all day, every day. For it to be the only thing that ever left your lips. He wanted to hear you _ scream it_, the sheer thought of that making his mind grow fuzzy.

Stars he loved you...

His mind blurring, he grabbed your shoulders and gently pushed you to the ground before moving to straddle you. 

“S-stop…” Your eyes widened as you wiggled beneath him, grabbing his wrists and pushing. “No, no…_ don’t…” _

The edges of his mouth twitched, and he pressed a single finger to your lips. “shhh…”

Bringing a hand up to your still-damp hair, he pushed a loose strand of it behind your ear, gaze looming over your neck, before whispering, “hey… guess i should tell ya… i didn’t do what you think i did that night in the hotel…”

Your brows furrowed. “Wh-what… what do you mean…?”

“didn’t fuck ya… we still have yet to consummate our relationship, hehe…” Sans spoke wryly, a small chuckle escaping him. “just touched you a little… and something else too - wanna know what that was, sweetheart?”

Your eyes again widened. “... What…?” And again you pushed against him. “P-please get off…”

Sans disregarded your protests and snatched your wrists, pinning them above your head before locking eyes with you. “you see… i hadda hunch you were gonna try to leave, so i decided it was best to make sure i’d always know where you were. can’t have my mate running off on me after all…” 

“...so i marked your _ soul..._”

He felt your chest still as your breath hitched.

“but there are other types of marking too…”

“I don’t…” You shook your head, sniffling as your eyes became wet once more. “I don’t understand…” 

Sans’ grin grew impossibly wide. “well honey, you’re about ready to get a crash course in monster mating rituals.” 

“N-no! Please wait!” Seeming to gain a spurt of energy, you began to struggle against his grip.

But he ignored you; his mind fixated on a singular thing... pupils laser-focused on that oh so tempting spot on your neck. 

_ just _ ** _do it. _ **

“hold still_…_”

He held you down. Soul pulsating and magic swirling at his jaw, he pressed his bony lips against the crook of your neck before parting his mouth and biting down _ hard_.

Your response was immediate. Shrieking and shouting, _ screaming _at him even.

… But that was a mere afterthought to Sans as he bit down even harder, blood pooling around his teeth and a delicious coppery taste filling his mouth as he forced his magic into you.

That delectable taste… something he could get addicted to. _ Stars_.

** _i deserve this._ **

He remained clamped onto you for some time, pouring as much of his magic into the mark as he could manage. He wanted to make sure it would be _ strong _ and _ permanent_.

It was only when he reached the point where he couldn’t spare any more magic without passing out did he release you.

You whined as he withdrew his teeth from the deep wound; blood gushed freely from it, streaking down your skin and pooling onto the floor. Sans stroked his tongue over it a few times, simultaneously savoring the delicious taste and attempting to soothe the pain.

“there… now everyone will know you’re mine. heh, not that it matters much anyways since no one but me is gonna see you anymore… but it’s a good sentiment, yeah?” He nuzzled against the bloodied wound, admiring the way familiar glistening blue outlined it. “shh, stop crying… we’ll always be together… i’ll _ always _be there for you.”

“...i know it hurts… sorry bout’ that… but…” He pulled back and flashed you a confident grin, stroking your damp hair. “don’t worry_… _i got just the idea to make it feel better…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sans is maybe just a little bit crazy and delusional... just a little bit... 
> 
> As always, thanks so much for reading! Happy New Year!


	17. Soulmate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warning: ** This chapter contains a non-consensual soul sex scene (it’s not called that, but it is a sexual/romantic thing for monsters in this world). Be warned.

Your heart thundered as Sans ground his teeth against your shoulder, his canines sinking so deep that it felt as though he might sever the chunk of flesh straight from your body. Vision blanking out, hot pain shot through your nerves.

_ Why… why…? _

Was this his punishment for what you did in the bathroom earlier…?

Was he… was he going to _eat _you?! You had heard the horror stories… that monsters used to cannibalize people in the Underground, but they were always written off as just that - stories. Stories concocted by racists that wanted people to fear monsters. Stories based on prejudice and hate. _Fictional_ stories. 

But in this moment, it seemed there might be a shred of truth to them.

You shrieked when he bit with a newfound fury, crushing even deeper. Lukewarm blood gushed past his maw and a metallic scent sifted through the air.

Struggling against his iron-tight grip, your mind screamed at you to _get away. _But he refused to let up… seeming lost in whatever trance he was in, pupils glossed over in a daze and ignoring your struggles and cries of protest entirely.

_ ‘i _ ** _promise _ ** _ i don’t bite.’ Haha what a load of shit… ohhh why am i thinking about that right now… _

Yet, oddly enough, the longer his teeth remained sunken into your skin, the less it began to hurt. The pain grew dull and was steadily replaced with a warm, tingling sensation that buzzed around the wound.

And then… he let go. A choked whine escaped you as he withdrew his teeth from the grotesquely deep wound, blood pouring from it and pooling beneath your body. And then, just vaguely, you felt him stroke his tongue over it, making you grimace. _ Vile… _

“there… now everyone will know you’re mine. heh, not that it matters much anyways since no one but me is gonna see you anymore… but it’s a good sentiment, yeah?” he rumbled against your shoulder, nuzzling the wound, “shh, don’t cry sweetheart, don’t worry… we’ll always be together… i’ll _ always _be there for you.”

“i know it hurts… m’sorry about that… but…” He pulled back and flashed you a confident grin. “don’t worry_ … _i got just the idea to make it feel better…” 

And you paled at this. How did this horrific bite he created on you change anything? What did he mean by _make it better? _

You still hated him; you would never agree to be with him. _ Ever._

So how…?

“What… what did you do?”

And this appeared to drag Sans out of whatever crazed trance he was in. He shifted to gaze almost tenderly into your eyes. “i already told ya sweetheart… i marked you.”

_ What…? _

Was this a monster thing?

His words bounced around in your head: _‘well honey, you’re about ready to get a crash course in monster mating rituals.’ _

Monster mating rituals…

_ Mating _ rituals…

“I don’t know what that _ means_.” 

You trembled, frightened that he had forced something that was of great significance in the monster world on you.

He had spoken about marking… marking souls… was this that…?

... But souls weren’t even real...

“heh, are we just gonna keep going in circles, sweetheart? maybe i need to teach ya how to listen better too,” Sans stated as traced the outline of the wound. “i’ll explain it more later… but trust me, our bond is one step closer to permanence now.”

Heart thrumming, the act of breathing suddenly became very difficult as you processed what he said. The wound on your shoulder still oozed fresh blood, tingling and throbbing with dull pain. You could just vaguely feel his claw prickling the edges of it.

Sans chuckled, leaning down to peck you on the nose before getting off of you and standing. “i get it, you’re confused… and i know it hurts... howabout i take your mind off of it? i can bring my tablet in here and we can watch netflix or somethin’.”

“No!” you shouted, scrambling to your feet. “Tell me what you did! What do you mean by ‘permanence’ and ‘bond’?! What did you _ do?! __What did you do?! _”

Tears wet your eyes and you choked out a strangled sob. 

“I don’t want this! I don’t want you!” you shrieked, voice cracking. “Just let me go! _ Let me go! _ You can’t do this to me! _ ” _

You just wanted to go home. 

You knees began to quake as your struggled to remain standing, your face glistening with a combination of sweat and tears. Your gut _ roiled _at abhorrence of your situation.

_ Why me…? _

What did you do to deserve this hell? 

You thought of your home... your old job... your cat and your belongings...

There was a time when you were disgusted by your apartment; thought it was old and dingy. But now the prospect of it seemed like heaven compared to this. 

You regretted taking it for granted. 

“Please… I don’t want this… please just let me leave… I promise I won’t tell anyone…”

The soft grin that formed on his face did little to placate you… nor the way he wrapped you into a hug and pulled you into his chest; cooing into your hair as he nuzzled the side of your head. You shuddered. It was disgusting how he could pretend to be a loving partner… act like there was nothing wrong with what he was doing.

And the fact that you were still naked and being felt up by him made it even worse.

“i know you won’t tell… cause you’re not going anywhere, precious,” he whispered into your ear.

Goosebumps pricked your skin and you shoved against his ribcage, certain that you might throw up if he _ kept fucking touching you. _But just like always… he didn’t budge.

Useless…

Why did you have to be so _ weak?_

“i get it… this is strange for a human… so i’ll forgive that little outburst,” he murmured as he stroked down your arms. “… you really wanna know how monsters mate?”

“I want to know why you bit my shoulder!” you half-screamed, voice breaking like a piece of fragile glass.

... And you almost found yourself regretting the question the moment Sans opened his mouth to speak, already dreading the response.

“a mating mark,” he stated calmly, apparently unaffected by your tone, “most monsters do this when they find their mate. we're soulmates, so you’re _ my _mate… my magic is in that mark. it'll heal, but it'll never fade - not as long as my magic lives inside of you… think of it like an engagement ring, yeah? ‘cept more permanent.”

You froze, not daring to say a word. It sounded like something out of a science fiction novel… except for the fact that it was very, _ very _ real. Your eyes drifted to the heavy golden ring on your finger, which now seemed so _ small _in comparison to this. Your blood boiled in your veins as he all but confirmed the violation that he had forced upon you… what he had forced upon you long ago if his admission of what actually occurred at the hotel was to be believed.

… But you couldn’t find the willpower to continue to scream at him for it…

“usually both parties mark each other… not really sure how a human can do it since ya don’t have magic, but would it make ya feel better if you marked me too?” 

Sans unzipped his coat and tugged the collar of his shirt down, exposing his ivory collarbone. “you can bite right here. after all, i’m your mate too.” 

He leaned down as if to give you easier access, pupils glinting in a way that made you shiver.

As much as you would _ love _to bite his bones into splinters, you sure as hell weren’t going to do that if it had some strange sexual or romantic meaning to monsters.

You gave very little pause before rapidly shaking your head.

“I don’t want this...” you repeated. 

Sans flinched, the bones of his skull twitching and sockets drooping much in the same way they did when you vocalized that you hated him. In another world, you might have felt bad for hurting his feelings. In fact, there _ was _a time when you felt guilty for hurting him; but now… you spared no mercy for him now.

He scratched at his empty socket before his gaze returned to you, eye-lights sharp.

“... that’s okay… marking isn’t necessary anyways - like i said, it’s more for sentimental purposes… we can still be together without it…”

He grinned at you in a way that you _ knew _meant nothing good. Chills prickled your neck and you instinctively backed away, a shaky breath slipping out as he inched a step towards you. He seemed nothing short of massive as he towered over your cowering form.

“ya know… i was gonna stop there today… just have us watch netflix or somethin’ to distract you from the pain…” 

You posterior throbbed as you found yourself once more shoved to the ground. A stifled whimper forcing past your lips, you continued to inch away from him.

He crouched down, that blown-out red socket bright as he eyed you with an uncanny intensity. 

“... but there’s other ways to further our connection… other ways to heal that nasty lil’ wound… heh, i’m thinkin’ maybe we should do that instead, whaddya say?”

Your back hit the wall and you pushed your hands out in front of you, vainly hoping that it might deter him somehow. Whatever he was planning… you already knew you didn’t want it.

“S-stay back...”

Ruby hue constricting, his gaze darkened. “howabout you stop ** _moving _ **and be a good little mate.”

He grabbed your hands and forced them to your sides.

“N-no, please… _ Sans_, I-“

His grin stretched, left socket spilling with crimson as his eye re-engorged. “that’s fine… you can say my name…” Pressing the tips of his claws to your shaking chest, he winked at you. “betcha i can make ya scream it.”

Blue brimmed at his fingertips before beginning to seep into you. You panicked, wiggling and prompting him to drop a heavy hand on your shoulder. His claws dug into your skin and he shot you a warning look before returning his gaze to your chest.

And moments later... you felt a discomforting pull. It didn’t necessarily _ hurt_, but it was a strong pressure that yanked at your ribcage. Your heart raced in alarm, and then… 

… Everything calmed... the world around you growing dull. Almost greying in appearance - if it was even possible to make this boring room any greyer. 

You looked down and your breath hitched when you saw him pull a purple object from your chest. It was brilliant in coloration, gleaming so strongly that it illuminated the room. It held a glossy, gelatinous look, pulsating constantly in graceful waves that reverberated across its surface. And although rounded in appearance, it formed a distinct heart-like shape. You briefly wondered if it _ was _your heart, but no… it didn’t look like a human heart... it seemed more akin to the stereotypical heart that a child might sketch on a piece of paper.

A thin layer of translucent cyan encased the object, sending a series of tingles and shivers across your body, and then… Sans fully yanked it from your chest, leaving it to hover now disembodied a foot away from you.

You didn’t know why, but you felt so lost without it. You didn’t even know what this object _ was, _but you desperately wanted it back inside of you. If it wasn’t for the heavy hand holding you in place, you would have lunged for it. 

Regardless of what it was, it was yours, right? You wanted it _ back._

“know what this is?” Sans asked, hand hovering mere inches beneath the amethyst heart as though cradling it in his palm.

Eyes wide, you hesitated before slowly shaking your head.

“your soul.” Sans took a deep breath. “monsters have them, humans have them: it’s what makes you _ you. _but while monsters have embraced their souls, humans have forgotten about them – so overly reliant on flesh… it makes your soul _ weak_, but ya still have it.”

Sans stared unmoving at your soul, a desperate want lingering in his expression and the palm below it trembling. “but gotta say… your soul is just gorgeous, sweetheart.” 

You, on the other hand, were frozen in shock. You had a _ soul? _But you thought... you thought...

... Were you wrong?

...

Now this really was turning into some kind of twisted horror-fantasy novel.

A cold sweat beading on your back, your gaze shifted from Sans back down to the purple heart… the… soul… 

...

Was it a bad thing to have your soul out of your body like this? Although it wasn’t painful, you felt oddly discomforted by it, wanting nothing more than to push it back inside of you. And why did Sans pull it out in the first place? What was he going to _ do_?

Was… there a breadth of truth to this soulmate thing Sans always rambled on about…?

...

Sans exhaled shakily before shrugging off his coat. “monsters almost always mate for life. it’s called bonding and we do that with our souls,” he whispered, before grabbing the hem of his shirt and beginning to pull it up. “but it’s a tricky deal… it only works if both souls are familiar with each other and their owners trusting of one another.”

You flattened your back against the wall, trembling, knowing full well that him stripping _ wasn’t a good thing. _

He dragged his shirt all the way up to his collarbone, revealing the thick ribs that encased his chest, attached to the thoracic vertebrae of his spine that columnated down into the lumbar vertebrae, disappearing into his shorts.

And like watching a train wreck, you couldn’t will yourself to look away and continued to stare wide-eyed at his chest. 

...

_ Huh, under all those clothes, he really is just a skeleton… _

A random thought, entirely irrelevant in this moment. But you found it soothing to think of something other than the very real possibility of him forcing himself on you. 

But there was something distinctly different within him, protected by the sizeable bones of his ribcage. It glowed at the center of his being, a sheen white that appeared encapsulated by a translucent cyan. Blue tendrils extended out from the glow to latch onto the bones of his ribs and spine, winding within them and circulating his entire body.

… Was that magic…?

“typically monsters will mingle their souls after marking… get em used to each other...” Sans breathed out, excitement barely concealed beneath his words, “and, once they’re ready... the bond happens.”

Wasting no time, Sans pressed his hand to his chest and effortlessly pulled the glowing object from his ribcage. Whatever the tendrils were that tied it to his body, they came with it; keeping the object firmly attached to his bones and seemingly inhibiting Sans from pulling it more than a few inches from his chest.

_ His soul…?_

It held the distinct shape of a heart as well, but unlike yours it was inverted. The texture appeared glass-like, a pearlescent shine glimmering off of the surface, translucent and unnaturally smooth in appearance, and utterly still aside from the swirling cyan tendrils that encircled it; absent of the pulsating movements that your own soul emanated. It held little color, only a distinct white that reminded you much of a bright fluorescent light.

Breaths escaping you shakily and cold sweat marring your body, all you could do was stare; the strong buzz of magic acting as a magnet to your eyes.

Sans inched himself closer... so close that the two souls were almost touching…

You jumped and shook your head, forcing yourself to snap out of your shocked stupor. 

“Don’t touch me,” you warned, dread swirling in your gut when you realized the wall at your back inhibited you from retreating. 

But you may as well have said nothing at all, because Sans acted as though he didn’t hear you.

Stroking a hand up your arm, Sans cupped the back of your head and knocked it into his skull. Red filled your gaze as he locked eyes with you, forehead nuzzling against yours. “we’re not ready to bond yet… but i want to get to know you better... i wanna make you feel _ good.”_

And you barely had time to process this information before Sans shifted his chest, bridging the gap between the two souls.

You jolted at the sudden collision, a series of uncontrollable spasms rocking your body. Sans appeared to have a similar reaction, his bones quivering and making an audible rattle that would have made you cringe… had you not been so distracted by the way your head swam, your shivering growing progressively more violent.

_ No… no… what is this…? _

You again shook your head, squeezing your eyes shut before opening them again. You didn't want this! 

You tried to push away...

But Sans quickly caught you, the hand at the nape of your neck gripping harder and digging into your skin. His other hand encircled your back, pulling you closer in a mock embrace. 

“don’t… move…” he growled against your forehead, as though he was just barely holding his own composure together.

Your chest heaved as tingles continued to cascade through your body, shuddering across your skin and seeping into your muscles. Shaking and whimpering, you clenched your hands and pursed your lips, uneven breaths wheezing out your nose. 

** _What is this?_ **

The feeling mounted and it was… indescribable, strange, foreign... yet so warm and tingly and _ good_. As though your body was experiencing the constant effect of hundreds of orgasms at once, repeating itself over and over again in endless waves of release. You gasped, a traitorous moan escaping you; lips quivering and blood rushing to your face. 

“I don’t… ah-I don’t... _ Sans _ what’s hah-_happening_?” 

In the back of your mind you were screaming and begging for him to _stop; _trying to convince yourself to shove him away... but you could barely form a coherent thought. Body betraying you, you clung to his humeral bones as though your life depended on it. Your head fell lax against his as noises that didn’t even sound like you spilled incoherently from your lips. “P-please… s-st-s-sto-ah!”

“just… just… let it happen,” Sans huffed out, ragged breaths escaping him as his body shivered against yours.

The two souls were carefully shifting together, glossy purple mingling with sheen white. Your soul seemed to ooze… _ something, _bleeding slowly into Sans’ soul, while the blue magic of his encapsulated yours in gentle, ethereal tendrils. It looked so… intimate… like the two souls were making love.

Your mind grew muddled… fuzzy... that wondrous feeling continuing to wind around your body, brushing against every nerve and fiber within you.

The surrounding world around you blurred and you saw… a child of maybe ten years, shivering in the snow, wide eyed and staring up at you. And you, amused curiosity swimming through your mind, offered your hand to the child; urging them to shake it. And hesitantly, the child did, their small hand grasping onto your larger skeletal one.

_ Wait, what? _

And just like that, the memory faded, and then you saw something else… a hulkingly large skeleton monster, clad in a red cape and armor, crouched down in the snow and fumbling with what appeared to be wires. You stood at a distance, slouched against a tree and hands tucked lazily into your pockets as you watched the skeleton. That monster looked very familiar…

But before you could make sense of who the monster was, the vision obscured into darkness.

When it cleared, you were faced with a different kind of monster… an anthropomorphic fish, brilliant greenish blue scales covering her athletic body and fiery red hair tumbling from her head; a hole that leaked grey dust caved in where her left eye should be. The monster glared down at you and you found that you couldn’t move. You felt nothing short of betrayal as you returned her gaze. An abrupt surge of panic rocked you when a foreign, sharp tool descended on your head... and everything went dark...

When you opened your eyes, you found yourself back in the snow in the middle of a dense forest, flakes of white tumbling to the ground. There was a trail in front of you, a human child that was not that much older than the first one walking cautiously down it. You felt hungry… so hungry that you could eat anything - a deep, empty ache in the pit of your stomach. You quietly stalked through the woods, watching every movement the child made, before you suddenly found yourself directly in front of the small boy, the glinting metal of an axe flashing in your hand as it swung towards the his neck…

No, no, no, what just happened?! Did you just… kill someone? You should be upset, but you weren’t… you barely even felt a thing, only the heavenly bliss that continued to invade your body.

However, that vision was quickly replaced with another and you saw… a store? A grocery store, large and full of people. You felt upset, angry even, your gaze stuck on the middle aged man in front of you asking that you leave the store. “You’re disturbing other shoppers,” he had said, “the sign out front says we don’t serve your kind.” And you couldn’t help but think how much better this man would look without a head. Wait, why did you think that? And what does this man mean by ‘your kind’? But nonetheless, you turned… and left. Your surroundings faded to black as you vanished from the store. 

You jolted back to reality, a gasp escaping your lips, and found yourself still locked in embrace with your skeletal captor. Warily, you stared at Sans... and his expression was one you had never seen before: eyelids closed, features peaceful and content, his bones still shivering slightly against your skin.

It actually seemed… genuine… him for once not looking like the psychopath he was.

That strange, blissful feeling began to fade, seeping slowly from your body like water into soil. You panted, slowly unwinding your hands that had traitorously curled around your captor’s arms in your euphoric high, watching as Sans began to open his sockets.

Eye-lights flickering, his gaze locked with yours.

You looked down, finding that your soul had unlatched from Sans’ and was now hovering slowly back towards your chest, the glossy edges of it misty with blue.

And then, Sans released you, you toppling backwards and hitting the metal wall; your body numbed from whatever the hell you had just experienced.

You spared a glance up at Sans, who had balanced himself onto his knees, pupils staring down at his own soul. The pearlescent white of it was stained with a vibrant violet. He waved a hand over it and the purple disappeared in a mist of blue magic, his soul slowly withdrawing back into his ribcage.

Looking to your soul, you found it still levitating ethereally in front of you. You cupped it in your hands, trying to will it back into your body, but its idle hovering made it clear that it wasn’t obeying. You quickly grew frantic - desperate even, slamming a hand towards it in an effort to force it back into you, but finding that your limbs passed straight through it.

You choked out a whine, nearly screaming in frustration.

You wanted it back; _ you wanted it back_.

Sans, who had finished righting his shirt, crouched in front of you, red hue quivering as he extended a hand towards your soul. He took one last longing look at it before encasing it in tendrils of translucent cyan to guide it back into your chest.

The feeling was the same as before: an oddly uncomfortable pressure. It only let up when the glossy heart fully merged back with your body; the world around you regaining its former color and vibrancy. The blank haze in your mind dissipated, and you were abruptly and mercilessly dragged back into reality.

What… what happened?

Sans had talked about marking… and soul bonding. You still didn’t fully understand what that consisted of. You didn’t even know you had a soul until a mere hour ago.

Did he… did he bond your soul with his…?

Violated shame cascaded through you at the mere thought that he had done something like that without your consent. But no… he had said he _ needed _ your consent to do that. That should relieve you, but it did little to calm your nerves.

He also spoke of something else to do with the soul… soul mingling? Or was this another form of the ‘marking’ he spoke of?

A shiver of disgust rolled down your spine. Whatever he _ did… _you didn’t want it. It felt sexual…

...

Bile stung your throat as you were overcome with the sudden urge to throw up. If this was a sexual thing for monsters… that meant he raped you... 

Again, you shuddered, tears stinging the corners of your eyes as you tried vainly to keep your composure. 

Carefully, you touched the wound on your shoulder… his supposed claim on you. Another thing he had forced on you without consent.

Surprisingly… the bite was completely healed now, the only remnants of it a glowing blue ‘scar’. A _ mark. _

Your gut twisted. 

Even your stomach - which had been upset and hurting ever since he had forced you to consume that spaghetti, no longer hurt in the slightest… as though that soul _ thing _he had done healed you.

But it didn’t stop the way it roiled at the situation. 

And then, there were the visions… what _ were _those? You saw them through your own eyes… but it didn’t feel like you, it felt like you were someone else.

You remembered… you saw a skeleton in them and you recalled now, that skeleton was Sans’ brother. You had met him before, you even heard him just earlier today. You’d never forget the hopeful, fleeting feeling that Papyrus might rescue you, one that was swiftly crushed by Sans.

But the Papyrus in your visions appeared younger, happier even... bones less disheveled and crooked. And you… in one of those visions, you had a skeletal hand too.

Were you perhaps seeing Sans’ memories?

You typically would dismiss such things as fictional nonsense, but now it didn’t seem too far out of scope. Monsters were real, magic was real, _ souls _were real. And your soul had been exchanging… something with his during that intimate encounter.

…

Oh god, you saw Sans _ kill _a child. A tiny human boy, mercilessly slaughtered like livestock.

…

Was that eventually going to be _ your fate? _

Still trembling, you looked to him. He was standing now and glanced at you when he noticed you staring. And very briefly, that ruby eye of his narrowed, pulsating once as his sockets darkened. 

Your blood ran cold and you cowered into the mattress.

What… what did you do…?

…

Wait…

If you saw his memories… what did he see of yours?

It could be anything. Your excitement when you graduated, your grief when your parents died... you and your ex-boyfriend…

No… no, no, no…

Your ex… _ Jake... _

Sans wouldn’t hurt him, would he? You couldn’t let Sans hurt him. You couldn’t let someone else die because of _ you. _It didn’t matter the caustic relationship you had with your ex… no one else deserved to die...

Sans exhaled harshly, shaking his head. And you watched, horrified, as he scraped his claws down the sides of his skull, making that cringe-inducing grating sound, before gripping his empty socket and _ yanking_…

And this appeared to hurt him as he winced and grunted the longer it went on, but he didn’t stop; he just kept yanking and _yanking. _Only when a thin trail of what appeared to be blood dripped from the crack in his skull did he let up.

You scooted away, flattening your back against the wall and dragging your knees to your chest; eyes widening as you watched him. What if he took out that anger on you? What if he did that _ thing _to you with his magic again…? 

_ Please, anything but that… please..._

You couldn’t handle anymore torture today. 

Sans’ gaze leveled on you once more, and... his expression softened considerably, ruby hue engorging to fill its socket. He stalked towards you and kneeled down before ruffling your hair with a skeletal hand.

“you did so good, sweetheart,” he cooed while petting you. “wasn’t that _ fun?”_

Heat rising to your cheeks and teeth grinding together, you wanted to retort. To scream at him for violating you in such a way. But you feared being the target of his barely constrained anger. 

You bit your tongue and remained silent.

Sans eyed your expression and chuckled. “it’s alright… you don’t gotta answer. i could tell ya liked it just by watching you.”

A stupid grin formed on his face and he winked at you before raking his pupils down your body.

… Right… you were still naked… naked and exposed to a monster you knew full well was capable of assaulting you. Your face burned hotter and you made as much of an effort as possible to conceal yourself from him.

“mmm, be right back sweetheart.”

And he vanished.

...

You exhaled a sigh of relief.

… One that you sorely wished you could redact when he re-appeared moments later. In his hands, there was a fluffy, bunched-up fur blanket and a pillow…

But no clothes… 

Lips stuttering, you inched back as he sauntered towards you. “N-no…” 

Sans stopped, that bright ruby hue stuck on you. “’no, no, no’ - is that the only word you _ know?”_ he mocked, “heh, think we really need to work on widening your vocabulary. cause gotta say, i’m gettin’ real sick of you saying that to me.”

… What else _ were _you supposed to say to a guy who had been forcing things you didn’t want on you since the day you met him…? 

Your stomach dropped, a shiver crawling down your spine at the flood of memories. If you had acted differently back then… could you have avoided all of this…? 

Creeping closer, Sans outstretched his hand towards you. “c’mon, you can’t sleep on the ground. lemme tuck ya in.”

When you refused to take it, Sans scoffed and snatched your upper arm, yanking you to your feet. Heart pounding through your throat, alarm bells rang in your head as he dragged you over to the mattress and tossed you onto it.

_ No, no, no, no! _

But instead of climbing on top of you and doing what you feared, you found the fur blanket draped over your body.

Sans crouched and tucked the blanket around you until you were rolled up in it like some kind of human burrito. He then lifted your head and shoved the pillow underneath it.

Pressing a ‘kiss’ to your forehead, he cooed, “there… nice and comfy and _ warm…” _

He began to pet your head again, combing his fingers through your still-damp hair and massaging your scalp in way that almost felt… good. But all it managed to do was make you shudder.

It did feel warm though… and the fur was so soft against your bare skin...

But… but… 

But… 

You swallowed before speaking, “… C-can I please have my clothes?”

Sans leaned back and heaved a sigh, the sides of his mouth twitching. “you really aren’t listening at all today, are ya sweetie?” His crimson light quivered as he eyed you. “i gotta show ya that you can trust me… that it’s _ okay _to be vulnerable around me, and that’ll never happen if i letcha hide yourself.” 

“But I-” 

“shhh, shhh.” He stroked your head harder to the point of it being _ painful. _ “don’t worry, i won’t letcha get cold… sometimes i forget how sensitive you humans are… but i’m gonna take better care of you _ i promise.”_

Sans laid down next to you, cuddling far too close for comfort. He propped his head up with his arm and pulled the blanket back to expose your shoulder.

Your muscles locked up in panic… but then you realized he was looking at the ‘mark’... gazing at it with a sheer look of adoration on his face while he continued to pet you. 

Your gut roiled. It was nothing short of demeaning.

It was nothing short of _ awful. _

And as you sat there, restrained in his hold, all you could do was think… thoughts nagging incessantly at your mind like an overbearing parent.

Soulmates… souls… marks…

What did this all mean...?

If souls were real… if _ soulmates _were real… 

… How could fate be so cruel as to give you a soulmate like Sans?

How was this _ fair? _

…

…

Soulmate or not, you would never be with him. You would never _ trust _ him or _ love _him. 

_ Never… _

_ ... _

You had to get out of here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you so much for reading!


	18. Deception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warning: ** Explicit sexual content that isn't exactly happy (Sorry, but this is a dark fic, so as such, the smut is dark). Dubcon that could also be viewed as noncon.

\--------------------

“got ya a present, sweetheart.”

Sans crouched in front of you, arm outstretched and box in hand; an overly proud grin on his face that made your insides twist.

Eyes wandering to the box, you saw… tampons? 

Sans chuckled at your appalled expression. “you taught me this, sweetie… heh, thought ya might need 'em - it’s almost that time isn’t it?”

You crinkled your nose, brows furrowing. Come to think of it… your breasts had been feeling sensitive paired with some cramping _ down there _as of late.

...

Your stomach dropped. 

Had it really… been that long?

Your last period ended right before he kidnapped you…

That means… it’d been almost a month… 

A _ month _ you’d been trapped in this horrible prison_… _ a _ month _ you’d been fearing for your life and enduring _ him _ on a regular basis_… _

A _ month _ you’d been waiting for rescue…

…

Did anyone even know you were missing…?

Did anyone care about you…? 

...

_ Alyssa cared and she died because of _ ** _me_**_. _

_ … _

Maybe… maybe it hadn’t actually been that long. Your cycle was irregular sometimes. Maybe it was just that.

You _ hoped _it was just that.

…

...

At least he had deemed it permissible for you to wear clothes again… even if they were _ his _clothes. An oversized, dirty t-shirt and baggy sweatpants were far from your ideal, and the way he had praised you for no longer recoiling in response to his touch had made your blood boil… but it was preferable to being naked around a monster that you knew was fully capable of assaulting you. 

“ya know, my bro always tells me i need to start being more responsible,” Sans said, “look at how much you’re helpin' me out - worked real hard to remember this just for you... heh, they say soulmates always help change each other for the better.”

He dropped the box in your lap. But you merely stared at it, shaking and on the verge of tears.

“How long are you planning on keeping me here?” you whispered. 

The question felt like poison on your tongue.

Sans’ smile dropped to a frown, red eye narrowing. But just as quickly as it disappeared, it returned, tighter than ever. “sweetie we’ve already been over this. i can’t let ya out… not until i know you won’t run.”

“I won’t run,” you said quickly. _ I need to get out of here. _

Sans flashed you a sympathetic look. “don’t believe that, sweetheart.” After a pause, he added, “i mean, don’t get me wrong, i’d love to have my mate in the house with me… but don’t believe for a _ second _that you wouldn’t run.”

“can’t let you leave me…”

_ No, no, no, no… _

You wanted to go home… you… you wanted to see the sun again… you wanted to have a life and accomplish your dreams… 

“No… you can’t… you can’t…” Your voice cracked as you broke down into a sobbing wreck. You buried your face in your hands, mumbling those same words on repeat: “You can’t… you c… can’t...”

Sans crouched next to you and pulled you against his chest in embrace, nuzzling the top of your head. An all too common dance between you and him.

It was vile, and it made you want to yank away and slap him when he whispered false words of comfort into your hair, as though how he was treating you was completely _ normal _and justified. 

But he would punish you if you did that. You didn’t want to be degraded again… you didn’t want to be _ hurt _again…

“shhh, it’s alright… don’t worry…” Sans cooed, “once you prove to me that you love me, we’ll see about allowing you more privileges - how’s that sound?” 

He combed his skeletal fingers through your hair, making you wince as he snagged a tangle. 

How could you possibly convince him that you _ loved _him? 

At your lack of response, Sans continued, “it’s almost gyftmas… i got some spare decorations i can bring - would that make you happier, sweetie?” 

_ … Gyftmas…? _

You lifted your head. “Do you… do you mean _ Christmas_?” 

Sans cast you a look of sheer adoration, eye-lights flickering as though amused by a child’s ignorance. “no sweetie, i mean gyftmas. heh, guess you wouldn’t know much about it - we celebrated it in the underground… at least we did before the underground went to complete shit.” 

A part of you could rationalize that maybe this was, in fact, a completely different holiday. That it wasn’t _ actually _almost Christmas…

… If it was almost Christmas, that would confirm that you’d been here a month… your cycle wasn’t wrong… 

You clenched your hands, trying to calm your sobbing. Crying wasn’t going to save you… if anything, it just prompted _ him _to touch you in some deceitful effort to ‘comfort’ you.

A clawed hand rose to your shoulder to trace the once bloodied bite mark - now healed into a blue-tinted scar tissue. It no longer hurt, but it seared a constant warmth into your skin that felt far too similar to Sans’ magic. 

What he had said back then wasn’t a lie… it was some kind of magical mark… 

You shuddered.

It almost made you miss the pain.

Even _ that _day felt like a distant memory now… him biting you… the soul ‘mating’... 

It was almost the holidays, and you had nothing.

You thought of the decorations… the lights… people celebrating and laughing with family and friends… the melody of holiday music…

… And you were stuck here… _ alone… _your only company the person you were more scared of than any other in the world.

_ Alyssa is missing the holidays too… because of _ ** _me_**_... _

…

...

You felt disgusted that you were actually _ gracious _ towards Sans because he hadn’t gone as far as to fully force himself on you… _ yet… _

Ever since that soul _ thing _he had done, he had kept his distance outside of the horrid petting and hugging. Being disallowed to wear clothes for much of that time didn’t help… but it was a small relief knowing that he wasn’t going further.

You never thought the day would come where you would be thankful towards someone because they _ only _groped you. 

“it healed nicely,” Sans commented towards the mark. “how’s it feel to be officially claimed? heh, i know it feels _ amazing _for me. you have no idea how long i’ve been waiting for this.”

All you could muster was a weak glare through your teary gaze. Was he so delusional that he thought there was some world where you actually _ wanted _this?

Sans chuckled. “a lil’ moody today, eh? that’s alright… heard that’s to be expected with you human girls and your special monthly times.”

_ No! _you screamed internally, _ It’s because you’re _ ** _here _ ** _ and touching me! _

But you bit your tongue, merely clenching your teeth and clawing at your palms. Trying to ignore the way he stroked his coarse hands along your arms. 

“fortunately, i gotta solution for that too.” 

Sans reached into his coat pocket and pulled out… a chocolate bar and iced coffee. 

The very same type and brand you had bought that one time you visited his store in the distant past. 

You choked, nearly sending yourself into a coughing fit as you almost inhaled your own spit. 

“fresh from my store, your favorite brands.” He offered the items to you. “course, the coffee is decaf this time - can’t give ya anything that might disrupt your beauty sleep. wouldn’t want you to get even more cranky.”

His grin turned lopsided, him winking at you in a way that made you want to punch him. 

Once upon a time, you would have dreamed of being in a relationship with a guy that remembered your cycle and favorite types of comfort foods… one that brought you tampons and chocolate when it _ was _that time of the month…

It was as though fate took that dream and twisted it back around on you in the most horrific way possible. 

You blinked rapidly, trying to force away your tears; but that effort seemed to be in vain as they continued to sting the corners of your eyes. Clenching your hands together, you dug your overgrown fingernails into your palms, somehow managing to find _ comfort _in the sharp pain it brought to your skin. 

Sans watched you all the while, red eye bright, hand still outstretched and waiting...

… But at your reluctance to take the items, his expression darkened and that grin went rigid.

_ Oh no… _

A quiet squeak forced its way past your throat and you quickly grabbed the coffee and chocolate bar, hopeful that this would calm him enough to not do something horrible to you.

Even though he hadn’t done it much lately… you would never forget the feeling of his magic on your chest; that _awful _pressure that smothered your lungs and removed what little free will you had left.

You couldn’t… you couldn’t handle _ more _of that… 

Until you found a way out, it was easier to just behave… it was safer to behave.

\-------------------

All you could do was watch as Sans haphazardly put together the fake tree in the corner, plugging it into the single outlet in the room. It was a short, green tree, arranged with a rainbow variety of lights. 

As it illuminated the tiny room, your stomach sunk deeper as you were reminded of what you were missing. 

Reminded of how long you had been here. 

“merry gyftmas, sweetheart.” Sans grinned in your direction. “wanna help decorate?”

Sans shook the small box of ornaments and you pursed your lips. 

...

If you… earned his trust… he might let you out if the room… 

… You could escape… 

You bit your tongue, breaths uneven as you rose from your seated position on the mattress to join Sans by the tree.

“Sure…” 

The smug look of glee that adorned his skeletal features made your gut curl in disgust. And the way he intentionally brushed against you at every opportunity brought a shiver to your skin. 

But you ignored it as you assisted him with decorating the tree, wearing a fake smile that you hoped was convincing. 

_ You can do this… pretend you’re back at the bar. _

You grabbed his coat sleeve, prompting him to look at you. Your cheeks burned - more from _ humiliation _than anything. But he seemed not to notice as his own cheekbones dusted a light blue, that red hue engorging so large that it threatened to spill out of its socket. 

“Hey… Sans…” Even just saying the name made you want to backpedal, the fear of failing… the fear of _ punishment _ clawing at your mind. It was _ easier _ to just behave after all. But you persevered on, taking a deep breath before continuing, “Sorry I’ve been so difficult… I was just… _ confused. _But I think I’m ready to try to make this work. We’re soulmates… so it must be meant to be, right?”

You weren’t prepared for how quickly he dropped the box of ornaments and pulled you into a bone-crushing hug. 

“i knew you’d learn,” Sans revered, “don’t worry sweetheart, i promise i’ll be good to you. we’ll be _ happy.” _

_ You convinced him you liked him once before… you can do it again, _you encouraged yourself as you stiffly returned his hug.

You were getting out of here.

\-------------------

You hated that tree.

Initially, you tried to convince yourself that it was a good thing. The colorful lights and ornaments had added some life to this boring, grey room.

But it had likely been days since it had gone up... and the more you stared… the more it reminded you of your situation. Reminded you that the world outside was still grinding away on its own without you. 

Your life slowly being wasted away in this prison… 

…

You hated that tree.

Had it not been for the need to _ pretend _and put on that fake smile of yours in front of Sans, you would have torn it to shreds by now.

In a sense… it was almost motivating; the hatred it stirred within you a constant reminder that you _ had _ to get out of here. Enough to fend off your tears and fear, to keep you focused on the task at hand: that you had to do whatever it took to get Sans to let you out of this room. To _ escape. _

_ You can do it. _

_ You can do it. _

It kept your mind focused. The walls hadn’t moved or closed in on you ever since the tree arrived… 

…

“heya sweetheart, glad to see you’re awake.”

You jumped at the familiar voice and abrupt shift in the atmosphere, bracing yourself against the mattress as your eyes darted from the tree to Sans. 

Sans was standing in the middle of the room as per usual, having popped into existence without warning just like normal. You detested the fact that you were used to this.

He took a step towards you, a grin planted on his face and two take-out boxes balanced in his left hand. “you hungry?” 

You swallowed before straightening your posture and smiling at him.

You still felt fear during each interaction with him… but it was a different shade of fear. Although the dread that he might murder or rape you still lingered in the back of your mind, it was overpowered by the constant worry that he might see through your facade…

… Crush your chances at escaping… maybe even _ punish _you for trying to fool him…

You felt your lungs constrict as the memories rushed your mind...

… His magic on your chest… the shame of being forced to remain nude… maybe he would do something even _ worse _this time...

You licked your lips, heart thrumming like a fluttering bird in your chest. 

But you couldn’t give up. You couldn’t let your fear keep you in the dirt. 

You took a deep breath. 

_ You can do this. _

And you were relieved to see that Sans appeared to be none the wiser to your deceit, his own grin widening as he moved to sit next to you before plopping one of the boxes in your lap.

“food from my favorite restaurant.” Sans nodded towards the box. “burg’ and fries - monster food, so it’s magic. heh, figured we could eat together today so i got it to go.” 

You opened up the styrofoam lid and… it looked like a heart attack in a box. The burger was cold and oozing with grease, and the fries were coated in an obscene about of ketchup to the point where you weren’t certain you would even _ taste _the fries.

“c’mon, try it out,” Sans encouraged before beginning to chow down on his own portion. 

Your lip twitched in disgust, but you did as he asked. 

“Thank you,” you murmured, “it looks delicious.” 

A lie. Another thing you prayed he wouldn’t notice. Putting on a fake smile and acting was one thing… but lying directly was another...

“no problem sweetheart.” His crimson light was bright as it swiveled to look at you. “anything for you.” 

The two of you ate in silence with Sans finishing first, him consuming his meal just as voraciously as you remembered at the bar. He proceeded to eye you with an unnerving intensity as you forced yourself to eat the remainder of yours. 

It made you want to throw up, both in combination of the horrible taste of the food and the fact that Sans looked at you as though you eating was a fetish of his. 

Grinning, he grabbed the empty box from your lap and set it to the side before sliding an arm around your shoulder and pulling you into his chest. His other arm slithered around your waist, claws pricking at your skin as his hand slipped under your shirt and rubbed the small of your back.

“love you, sweetheart,” Sans cooed as he rested his chin atop your head. 

Pursing your lips, you gripped his coat. “Love you… too…” 

Saying the phrase felt like a curse... but you would do what you needed to survive.

_ Whatever it takes,_ you reminded yourself.

“oh hey, hehe, look at that.” Sans broke the silence after a few minutes had passed.

The hand on your back left to point to the ceiling. You followed it, only to see…

… Mistletoe… coated in blue magic, levitating above the both of you. 

Of course…

…

Gaze meeting Sans’, you took note of the hints of cyan swirling in the ominous red pit of his left socket. And his grin stretched.

“you know what this means, right sweetheart? it’s a gyftmas tradition.”

You bit your tongue hard enough to draw blood, gut clenching and heat rising to your face. You shouldn’t be surprised… but it didn’t stop the humiliation that coursed through your veins.

…

Sans tapped his teeth before leaning forward, his mouth hovering mere inches from yours. 

You took a deep breath before closing the gap and pressing your lips against his teeth.

** _Whatever it takes._ **

  
  


\-------------------

“check this one out.”

Several more days passed... and right now, Sans was sitting next to you, snickering; phone in one hand as he held it out to you and arm slung lazily around your waist, keeping you flush against his ribcage. 

You lifted your head to look at it. 

Another stupid meme, just like the ones he used to spam you with on Facebook. A distant memory… how could you have been so _ blind_? 

You found zero humor in it, but forced out a chuckle regardless. 

It was almost surreal, watching Sans scroll through his phone looking at memes and pulling up YouTube videos like a _ normal _person.

This had become a near daily routine for the two of you… him visiting you, talking to you… showing you things that average people might share with their friends or significant other. 

It was far too innocent for someone like _ him. _

Alyssa came to mind… her smile, the way she was always there for you. 

A time in middle school invaded your mind, when you were being bullied because a couple girls thought it was just hilarious that you had been turned down by a boy you liked. Alyssa stood up for you when no one else would, comforted you and made you realize that you were worth more than what those people made you feel.

But now she was _ gone_… because of _ you_. 

Your eyes stung, but you shook your head, holding your tears at bay.

_ Stay focused, _ you reminded yourself. _ Alyssa would want you to _ ** _live. _ **

“C-can…” _ No! Don’t stutter! _ You cleared your throat. “_Can _ we watch a movie or something…? I’d, um, I’d _ love _ to cuddle with you on a couch and watch a movie on a real TV… it would make me really happy.” 

You wondered if it was too bold. Would he grow suspicious because you stuttered? 

Red filled your vision as his eye-lights swiveled towards you, a glint in his sockets that made your heart race. 

He set his phone off to the side and you couldn’t help but eye it… was there a way you could get it from him…? 

He grasped your chin, tilting your head towards him. “a movie date in my house? that’s a cute idea… and heh, how could i turn down something that would make my precious soulmate happy?” 

“...but _ tibia _ honest, i’m kinda in the mood for somethin’ else today…”

You froze as the skeletal hand at your waist slipped beneath your waistband and massaged your bare hip. It felt coarse against your skin, the sharpness of his claws prickling you...

Sans grinned as he re-adjusted himself. And your back hit the mattress moments later, him moving to straddle you. 

A lump formed in your throat, gut plummeting as though a rock had been dropped in it. A part of you had hoped that you could convince him to let you out of the room _ without _doing this…

… But that was too much to ask for, wasn’t it? 

His breath wafted over your ear as he leaned in close, hips shifting on you. “what’s wrong, precious? don’t you _ want _ me?”

A shiver crawled up your spine. Because he’s right - you didn’t want him at all. 

Was he testing you…? 

You swallowed. _ Just bear it… it’s just sex… you’ll live. _

You couldn’t give up your one chance. 

Blinking away your tears, you stared into his eye-lights, the ominous quivering of them making you tremble… and you nodded. 

You wanted to _ live. _You wanted to have a normal life. 

You repeated this mantra in your head, but it did little to calm you as he shed his coat and then began to peel off your clothes. 

The cool air bit your bare skin, forming clusters of goosebumps. And you instinctively snapped your legs shut when you felt Sans’ claws trail up your unclothed thighs, sharp yet touching so lightly that it was almost ticklish. 

“shhh, shhh don’t be scared, i’ll be gentle,” he assured.

It was _not _reassuring. 

He chuckled darkly and leaned in close, whispering, “might be tough though… have wanted this since the day i first saw you.”

He licked up you neck and around the shell of your ear, sending a series of tingles across your body. You could feel the hot, gelatinous texture of his saliva lingering on your skin.

You grimaced. You were about ready to give yourself… _ willingly _… to the person you hated most in the world.

…

You grit your teeth together.

_ For freedom… for seeing him brought to _ ** _justice_**_… _

...

For once, you were disappointed by the fact that your period had finished… you were unable to even use that as an excuse as to why you _ couldn’t… _

… Although a part of you had a hunch that he wouldn’t even care.

...

He dragged his nasal cavity down your neck and over the swell of your breasts, hands groping at your hips and thighs. You flinched when he nipped at your nipple before twirling his tongue over it. 

The spark of pleasure it sent straight to your gut made you want vomit right then and there. 

You exhaled the breath you were holding it, it coming out as a shaky sigh. And you tried to focus on keeping your breathing even and steady, closing your eyes in an effort to pretend that Sans was literally _ anyone _else. 

“mmm, you’re so tense... just relax sweetie, i’ll take care of ya… i’ll make you feel _ good_,” Sans rumbled against your chest, hands squeezing your breasts before stroking down to massage your thighs. 

And as he trailed southward, the smoothness of his teeth brushing against your tensed abdomen, your breaths once again grew uneven as your muscles locked up.

_ He’s… he’s not actually going to… _

Your fears were confirmed when you felt his hot breath waft over your privates. And you couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped you, your thighs quaking next to his skull.

“N-no…” 

You couldn’t do this… you couldn’t! It was too much!

_ Make it _ ** _stop_**_! _

Your heart pounded as you snapped your thighs shut and tried to scoot away, shaking your head frantically. 

Sans grabbed you, skeletal hands gripping your hips and dragging you towards him before wrenching your legs back apart. He flashed you a rigid grin, crimson hue quivering as it shrunk to a dot. 

“hehe... thought you were ready, sweetheart?” 

His words sounded forced… _ fake _… as though he was trying his hardest to maintain his composure, undeniable hints of frustration beneath his tone.

And you immediately backpedaled.

_ Freedom. _

_ Survival. _

“N-no! I do… I just… I feel like I smell… it’s been so long since I’ve showered…” You forced a smile, feeling as though you might break down into hysterics if you didn’t. 

“Can… c-can I maybe shower first…?” 

Heat rose to your face as Sans again leaned down towards your privates and _ sniffed_, a small chuckle escaping him. “smells fine to me… i’ll letcha clean up once we’re done.”

Your stomach _ dropped_, the fire of hope in your veins snuffed out. 

_ It’s just sex, _ you reminded yourself. _ You’re not going to die_.

…

...

Oh god, but what if you _ did _ die from this?! You had no idea what type of equipment he had. What if he was too big?! Or shaped the wrong way?! What if monster fluids were toxic to humans?! This very well _ could _kill you!

Millions of possibilities raced through your head as your heart galloped, body growing so heavy and numb that you almost couldn’t feel it. 

You tried to reassure yourself, _ Sans said that monsters have sex the same way as humans, that monsters and humans have had sexual relationships in the past… it will be fine, it will be fine… _

But hell, what did _ Sans _ know?! He could be _ lying _just to trick you into doing this with him.

You highly doubted that a female praying mantis _ told _the male that she’s going to bite off his head before the deed. 

…

_ No, no… what are you thinking…? Obviously monsters don’t do that… _

You exhaled a shaky breath.

Breathe in… out...

_ You can do this. _

Squeezing your eyes shut, you tried to calm yourself. You tried to focus on the possibility of getting to leave this room, the potential opportunity for an escape. You tried to ignore the way his hot breath tickled you and the temptation to scream and shove him away when his tongue stroked up your slit.

In.

Out.

You tried to think about your future. Your goals, your dreams. The possibility of seeing the sun again. 

_ Him _rotting in jail. 

Justice for you… justice for Alyssa...

But the efforts seemed in vain as his tongue pressed tauntingly against your entrance before he dragged it up to swirl around your clit. Your legs trembled, a throbbing in your womanhood and a tenseness in your abdomen that made you hate yourself.

His tongue felt so _ hot _ and _ wet_, leaving a tingling sensation that made you shudder… and you weren’t certain if it was from fear… or pleasure.

Why did it have to feel _ good _…? 

Memories of the soul mating he had forced upon you in the now distant past came flooding back… _ that _had felt good too… but even with that, you were able to dissociate to a degree due to the visions.

With this, all you had was cold, merciless reality... your efforts to think of anything else seeming in vain as the scent of sex wafting through the air and jolts of pleasure inspired by his tirelessly working tongue forced you to remain in the now. 

Your breaths grew ragged, entire body quaking as your heart fluttered rapidly in your chest. Sweat streaked down your forehead as the pressure between your legs grew, nearing closer to the edge…

It was as though Sans sensed this, his bones vibrating against you as he chuckled before resuming his ministrations, seeming determined to bring you to orgasm. His skeletal hands gripped your hips so hard that his claws threatened to puncture skin… but you barely noticed, your head growing fuzzy as you could feel nothing but your own arousal. 

Sans’ tongue left your clit and again teased your entrance… before plunging deep inside, forcing a surprised yelp from you that made your cheeks burn. Another moan slipped past your lips as the hot appendage wormed within your walls, your hands gripping at the mattress as you became desperate for something to grab on to.

The pressure grew near unbearable, and you found yourself holding your breath and biting your lip hard enough to draw blood when he withdrew his tongue and again focused on your clit.

Muscles simultaneously quivering and tensing, specks of black mottled your view as every fiber and nerve within your body seemed to electrify…

... And then everything blanked out as you were tipped over the edge, body spasming uncontrollably and walls contracting as wave after wave of orgasm hit you.

When it was finally over, you couldn’t stop the lone tear that escaped your eyes. You quickly wiped it away, praying that he wouldn’t notice, before taking a deep breath to calm yourself as you _ screamed _inwardly. 

You tried to tell yourself that it wasn’t your fault that it felt good… that it was just your body reacting naturally to stimulation…

... But it did little to soothe the humiliation that swirled in your gut as you teetered on the edge of a nervous breakdown. 

This _ monster_ kidnapped you… harassed you for _ months._

And you let yourself get off from him. 

A shudder of disgust rolled down your spine.

You heard Sans shift and when you dared to open your eyes, you spotted him looming over you. His features almost seemed soft… serene… ruby hue flickering hypnotically as he gazed down at you.

He stroked his fingers down your face, claws lightly grazing your skin, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear before leaning down to peck your forehead.

And then he grabbed your legs, spreading them and pushing them towards your chest.

“ready sweetie?”

_ No! No I’m not ready! _

But you bit your tongue and forced a stiff nod, keeping your eyes focused on the ceiling as you felt what you presumed was his… his _ thing _ brush against you. You refused to look at it… you didn’t want to see... _ it… _

… It felt like his tongue… hot and wet… yet firmer… 

You braced yourself for the worst as he began to push inside of you.

His entrance was slow… almost taunting… his girth challenging your tense walls as he gradually worked more and more of himself into you. His red hue continued to dance, remaining fixed on your face; watching for a reaction. 

He… he wanted you to like it, didn’t he?

...

He thinks you want this. 

You bit your tongue, _ hard_, the taste of copper filling your mouth.

_ Keep up the charade. You can do this. _

_ Think of freedom. _

Taking in a deep breath, you forced eye contact with him… tried to _ pretend_.

But that grew more difficult than you had anticipated when he began to move… he was slow… almost _ gentle _as he worked his hips, pulling all the way out before thrusting back in. His hands remained clamped around your thighs, keeping them spread and shoved up against your chest to provide himself access.

The lumpiness of the mattress was far more noticeable when being pushed into it…

“_shit_, you feel so good… you’re perfect sweetheart, just amazing…” 

He peppered compliments and words of encouragement between grunts and groans, panting as he began to increase his pace. 

… In fact… not only were the lumps in the mattress more noticeable… you could count each individual one… feel their different sizes and shapes…

One was distinctly the size of the egg that nudged at your head…

And another… it almost felt like a miniature football pressing repeatedly into your back…

So many lumps… and the way the springs squeaked with each movement… it felt so familiar yet _ different_...

A startled sound escaped you when gave an especially harsh thrust, jostling your entire body and smacking his pelvis against your thighs; hitting _ something _inside of you that made your toes unintentionally curl. 

And he continued this quickened pace, pistoning into you and, much to your dread, successfully striking that _ spot _each time. Your muscles shivered, abdomen tensing and that throbbing pressure between your legs returning.

_ No... _

You didn’t want to come again… not like this…

You prayed that he would finish before it came to that. 

Exhaling another ragged groan, Sans spread one of your legs almost painfully to the side before hiking your other up higher against your chest. Bracing an arm on the mattress, he leaned down while continuing to rock into you and stroked his tongue along the mark on your shoulder. 

“my precious mate… all mine… _ stars _ i love you so much…” 

His red eye burned so brightly that it threatened to pop right out of its socket, beads of blue sweat marring his cracked skull. His bones were almost… _ hot… _ it was peculiar, you didn’t even know bones could _ have _a body temperature. 

Spreading your legs further, Sans jostled into you, forcing a surprised yelp out of your vocal cords as the new position allowing him to thrust even _ deeper_. Desperate for something to grab onto, you unwittingly clutched onto his arm; an action that made him gasp and shiver, a visible shade of blue decorating his cheekbones. 

You cringed inwardly at the way his bones audibly cracked. 

As you felt yourself growing close… your rationalized that it was _ okay _ if you came, that it wasn’t your fault. That maybe it was a _ good thing… _ you were _ supposed _to be tricking him into thinking you wanted this after all.

But Sans… he beat you to it…

You heard him groan again… another rattle of his bones… and he buried your face into the crook of your neck. Hilting deep inside of you, he twitched and quivered… followed by a gushing warmth filling your abdomen. Panting heavily, he collapsed on top of you.

And all you could do was stare at the ceiling, breaths escaping you in rapid wheezes and an unrelieved pressure between your legs as you teetered on the edge of orgasm.

...

He… he came inside…

He had told you once before that he could get you pregnant… and you hadn’t been on birth control since Jake...

You blinked away the tears that threatened to form. It was something you would have to worry about _ later. _

After what felt like minutes, Sans pulled out, a warm, thick liquid following suit as it seeped from your entrance. His gaze passed over your sweat-streaked body, a small droplet of his own blue sweat splashing onto your chest. 

“fuck… m’sorry sweetheart, couldn’t hold out any longer…”

Sans grabbed the hand that was clutched onto his arm and held it, stroking his rough fingers along your own. His eyes met yours before trailing down to rest between your legs…

“lemme… lemme help ya…”

Without warning, he wiggled his fingers into your entrance. At the surprised sound you made, he squeezed your hand so hard that he risked breaking your fingers. 

“still so tense… just relax…” His pupils again darted to your face. “heh… almost seems like you _ don’t _actually want this…”

Your eyes widened, heart thudding so loudly that you worried he might hear it. “N-no, I-I do! Sorry, sorry! I’m just… _ nervous… _please keep going...” 

You felt yourself die a little inside as you spoke the words. But… you spoke them… you said what you needed to _ survive _… 

“right... nervous…” 

Sans’ mouth twitched around the edges and then strained into a grin, red hue glinting ominously. And without another word, he began to move. 

You shuddered at the thought of being thankful for the lubrication his semen provided; worrying about those sharp claws being inside one of your most sensitive areas… 

But there was no pain… just the discomforting knowledge that _ he _was the one doing this to you. 

Your arousal had wound down some at this point and you hated yourself for just how quickly it built back up…

Those disgusting, dirty, blood-caked claws were _ inside of you _ and your body _ liked it_. 

_ Why… _

It wasn’t long before you found yourself yet again wobbling on the edge of climax, Sans’ fingers curling and twisting inside of you; somehow managing to hit _ that spot _ each time. And you, desperate for this to be _ over_, didn’t fight it.

Your breath hitched, body growing tense… and then... it hit, your walls pulsing around his fingers as your muscles spasmed. 

And when it ended… you were thrust unforgivingly back into reality, a chill running across your skin from the now-cold sweat that soaked the mattress. You dared to glance up at the hauntingly bright sockets hovering above you and found Sans looking at you as though he had just witnessed the most magical thing in the world. 

“wish i could watch that on repeat,” he remarked with a chuckle. “... so why were ya scared to be with me, sweetheart? i thought we were over all that... i know you’ve done this before and considering your past, i figured it wouldn’t be a big deal…”

Your blood turned to ice as you listened to his words… poking and prodding… was he suspicious? 

_ Please… please… no... _

Still panting as you recovered from the ordeal, you met his gaze, the edges of your lips thinning as you forced a small smile. “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to… I guess I was just nervous because it’s my f-first time with _ you… _since we’re soulmates and all…” 

Silence graced between the two of you as Sans studied you, that perma-grin still planted on his face, ruby eye engorged and flickering. 

To you, it felt like an eternity had passed, your attempt to swallow the lump in your throat unsuccessful as your heart galloped, fresh sweat beading at your back. 

_ Please don’t let him find out… _

Please don’t let it be so you went through all of that for _ nothing. _

…

“... adorable. you’re just too cute.” His grin stretched as he bopped you on the nose with a clawed index finger. “heh, don’t worry about your performance around me, sweetheart. you could never disappoint me.”

He leaned down and pecked you on the forehead, taking a few seconds to stroke your head before rolling off of you. 

“welp... get dressed… promised i’d letcha shower, right? think we can squeeze that in now.”

His claws tapped against his skull as though in deep thought.

“i dunno about a movie date today, but… that could be arranged a little later this week if that would make you happy - just gotta make some preparations. sound good, sweetie?” 

Taking a deep breath, you nodded.

This was your chance. You didn’t have a plan _ yet_, or even know what to expect… but an olive branch was being extended out to you and you were going to _ take it. _

** You were getting out of here. **   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's kinda funny that the post date for this chapter ended up being around the holidays... totally wasn't planned. XD Anyways, thanks for reading! Hope you are enjoying reading this fucked up story as much as I am writing it! <3


	19. Sans: Date

Over the moon couldn’t even begin to describe Sans’ mood right now. 

His soul had felt as though might burst out his chest the entire week with how often it throbbed and flipped. 

It had only been a month since he had moved you in and you were already coming around! It was better than he could have imagined. Sure, you still seemed… nervous._.. tense… _but you were finally understanding.

It dashed his concerns that maybe bringing you here was the wrong thing to do. You were a smart girl, so of course you learned. Of _course _he made the right decision.

_ <strike>no, she didn’t learn, she still hates you.</strike> _

...

No... he had his first time with you. Yours and his first _real _time. You were so reluctant before... you wouldn't be open to it now if you still hated him, would you?

_..._

_Stars, _he couldn’t get over how good it felt. How soft and warm and _squishy _you were. He wanted _more.   
_

More, _more, **more.**_

Maybe he could convince you to bond soon? 

Then he would be able to let you leave the room… he knew you wanted that…

He wanted that too. He wanted to be able to wake up and see you sleeping next to him, lounge on the couch and watch TV with you, eat dinner with you… just _live _with you. 

You, him and Papyrus. As one big happy family.

Sans _deserved _to be happy.

And tonight… Sans couldn’t be more excited about tonight.

Tonight he was going to fulfill his promise to you and give you time out of the room. Show you how _good _things could be.

Sans took a deep breath.

Tonight... 

Tonight, he would woo you properly. 

He went about his usual tasks faster than normal today. The moment he finished up his work shift, he shortcutted to your apartment to complete the daily upkeep on your life. 

As he materialized into the dimly lit apartment unit, the scent of mold and rancid mildew hit him immediately. The smell had worsened overtime, the unit unkempt and having grown dusty from lack of use. Clothes and other items from your haphazardly packed suitcase were still strewn across the room, droplets of old, dried blood still visible on the carpet from his altercation with you that one fated night.

... He really needed to clean that up... while it seemed unlikely someone might enter your apartment, it was always a possibility. 

He couldn’t leave evidence that might allow someone to take you away from him. Not now... not when you were _just _starting to get used to him. 

Most of your belongings were trash and could go into the dumpster where they belonged. But...

His eyes drifted to the two urns jutting out of your suitcase... maybe he should bring those to you...?

Sympathy spun within him as he recalled one of your memories from the soul mating... but he shook it off. 

...

Another time. 

He didn’t want to even _think _about those memories and risk souring his soaring mood. 

Looking around, he spotted your cat watching him from across the room, a curious glint to its hazel eyes. 

Sans could safely say that the feline still didn’t like him. His relationship with the cat had really gone south after he had wrangled it into the bathroom not long ago… but it seemed it was improving?

The animal no longer growled or hissed at him. Perhaps it was because he was the one to feed it now. Daily almost, except for the few days where he had forgotten. 

The cat began to chow down the moment Sans filled its food bowl, and Sans moved to sit down at the computer. 

_facebook… facebook… email too… _

_already paid rent. _

In your email, Sans spotted a frustrated message from who he presumed was one of your special... _clients_… angry about having never received his order… 

Sans scowled. If only he knew who this man was… he’d make sure the guy was gutted before he even had the chance to utter another _word. _

But he didn’t… so the email simply went in the trash bin. 

On your Facebook, he spotted yet another message from that annoying guy you were friends with. Brian was his name… and Sans already didn’t like him. 

Who was he to you?

Sans saw on Brian’s Facebook page that he worked at the same restaurant you used to… but in numerous times Sans had visited, he had never once seen this Brian.

Did he work in the back? 

Nonetheless, Brian simply wouldn’t accept Sans’ answers that he had sent while masquerading as you, as Sans opened up the new notification to find yet _another _message from Brian asking if you were okay.

Brian had even claimed that he would drive to the town you moved to just to see you…

** Who was this guy to you? **

Sans gritted his teeth together, bones rattling and magic flaring as he gave his empty socket a quick yet harsh tug. Why couldn’t this Brian just fucking _mind his own business? _

Sans nearly broke the keyboard as he slammed in his response and hit send, telling Brian as you to leave you alone. 

And to make things worse, Sans noticed that you had a new friend request…

… From Jake… your ex-boyfriend…

Last Sans saw, this guy had blocked you… what changed? 

_What changed? _

Sans’ mood plummeted. He was finally making progress with you and these two men were _snooping around. _

Another tug of his socket… another rattle of his bones… and Sans reluctantly opened up the message you received from Jake.

** _Jake: Hey… I know you probably don’t want to hear from me right now, but I just wanted to say I’m sorry for blocking you and saying those things to you. That was pretty jerkish of me. I told you we would stay friends when we broke up and I’ve been a pretty shitty friend. I know you were having some issues, are you doing better now? Want to go get dinner sometime? We can catch up and I can introduce you to Erica. I think you’d really like her. _ **

Sans didn’t even hesitate before responding as you, telling Jake that you _did not _forgive him and deleting his friend request. 

_leave us _ ** _alone._ **

...

After just barely being able to trick Alyssa’s death to the police as an accident, Sans had told himself that he wouldn’t kill again… that it was safer for you and him to just deter anyone who inquired… but right about now, he was really questioning that decision. 

_No one _would take you away from him. 

_He _was your soulmate, not these guys. 

<strike> _she'd rather be with one of them instead of you._ </strike>

…

...

_whatever. _

You loved him now. So it was fine.

You _only _loved him.

_ <strike>no she doesn't.</strike> _

Everything was fine. 

Taking a deep breath, Sans tugged on his socket once more before shutting off the computer and vanishing from the apartment.

First thing tomorrow, he was going to clean up the place and remove all evidence of the night he took you. But for now, he was in a hurry to get back home. 

He had a date to make after all. 

\------------

The chain rattled ominously in his hands and echoed throughout the small room. 

“sorry, sweetheart, would rather not do this... but can’t trust ya yet…” 

Sans’ mouth twitched into a soft smile as he looked down at you, the red of his pulsing eye reflecting off of your face. And you thumbed with the hem of your shirt while staring wide eyed at the clinking object winding between his hands. 

“But I won’t…” You visibly swallowed, eyes wandering to the wall behind him as though it had become the most interesting thing in the world. “I won’t try anything. I didn’t try anything before when you let me shower. I just want to spend time with you, it will be easier if I don’t have to wear t-that…”

He grinned from ear to ear, soul_ swelling _at your words… _‘I want to spend time with you.’ _

He had been waiting _so long _to hear you say that. _Stars _he loved you. It almost made him willing to ignore how you were acting...

Almost...

… He didn’t miss the way you spoke quicker than normal nor how your eyes wandered.

… Last time you lied to him, you had acted this way as well…

…

<strike> _she's lying now too._ </strike>

…

...

_no, no… she’s just nervous. she just doesn’t wanna be chained up - who would? haha… _

_she loves me. _

_she loves me. _

_she loves me. _

_… _

_let this be real. let me have this. _

_... _

<strike> _you _ ** _know _ ** </strike> _ <strike>it’s not real.</strike> _

_... _

Sans shook his head, trying to ignore his pounding skull, before re-focusing on you.

“gonna have to, sweetie. i promise it’ll be okay.” He stepped closer to your slouched form, grabbing your hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “i’ll distract ya, you won’t even notice it’s there.” 

A cascade of visible shivers rolled along your skin and you bit your lip… and then slowly nodded your head, blinking rapidly as you met his gaze. 

That was all the prompting Sans needed before he stepped forward and locked the iron collar around your neck. 

Papyrus had used those shackles in the Underground after getting fed up about the humans he had caught continuously escaping the shed. Once they got to the surface… Sans had always thought he’d want to leave all those possessions from Snowden behind... but when push came to shove he just… _couldn’t. _

The Underground would always be a part of him. 

The collar was big on you, laying loose against your collarbone… and Sans’ soul twisted when he noticed you grimace. Was it too heavy? He didn’t want you to be uncomfortable… 

Your eyes traced the length of the chain that he was still clutching, following it up to the metal collar. And you lifted your trembling hands up to gingerly touch it. 

Another twist of his soul.

_fuck. _

Sans stroked his fingers down the side of your face, grasping your chin and tilting it up to look at him. “hey…”

“didja hear what happened when carbon and hydrogen went on a date?” Sans flashed you his most charming grin. 

You remained silent and motionless aside from the mild twitch at the corner of your eye. 

“yeah, i heard they really _bonded.”_

Sans snickered at his own joke and winked… but there was still nothing but silence from you, your face twisting into a small frown. 

Back at the bar… you talked about chemistry a lot and always seemed to enjoy his jokes…

The edges of his jaw twitched in agitation. But he reminded himself, _things are different now. _

... But then your lips curved into a smile, a small huff of a laugh escaping you. 

And Sans felt his soul thump. 

Wasting little time, Sans wrapped his arms around you and pulled you into a hug, head growing fuzzy at the sheer feeling of you pressed up against him, before teleporting the two of you to his house. 

He couldn’t help but notice that you didn’t heave or stumble like you normally did, just a mild wobble to your stance and a dizzied look decorating your face. Were you starting to get used to the teleportation? 

You were getting used to his magic.

You were getting used to him. 

You _loved _him. 

** _ <strike>Liar.</strike> _ **

He released you and immediately your eyes began to wander the room. He chuckled. “ain’t perfect, but the best we could afford when we got to the surface.”

Indeed, the pickings for him and Papyrus were quite slim upon initial arrival to the surface. The human government failed to honor monster currency right away, so he was left scrounging what little he could to afford a home. 

All things considered, it wasn’t bad. It was private as Sans preferred, and although its make was of rickety wood that reeked of age, it had almost a _homey _feel. 

And once monster currency was accepted, Papyrus had wasted little time in improving the furniture in the house, from the large flatscreen TV mounted on the fireplace that was paired with several video game consoles to the leather sectional couch in the center of the room and the fine glass coffee table between everything. The rest of the house was of similar quality, but Sans figured he would show you that later.

He didn’t want anything to eat into what little time he had to spend with you in the house.

Grabbing your hand, Sans guided you towards the couch and motioned for you to sit before snatching the chain to your collar and wrapping it around the coffee table. He produced a padlock from his pocket and locked it in place, giving it a sharp tug to ensure it held. The harsh clink it gave against the table confirmed that it did. 

This table was far too heavy for you to move on your own. Sans recalled Papyrus needing his help to move it in initially. He could trust that you weren’t going anywhere with this measure in place. 

_ <strike>cause she'd **definitely **run if she could. </strike> _

Brushing off his thoughts, he grinned at you. “was thinking we’d keep it casual. maybe a movie date like you wanted before? i got us pizza just for the occasion.” 

Sans turned on the TV and then grabbed the controller to his Xbox, turning on the console and loading up a random game before handing it to you. 

Grand Theft Auto happened to be the first thing to pop up, so he chose that one. With the WiFi off of course… he couldn’t be too careful...

You held the controller loosely, thumbing it and staring blankly at the images on the screen before flashing him a confused look. 

“gotta heat up the pizza, just hang tight here. i’ll be in the kitchen if you need something.” 

Sans pet your head, leaning down to brush his mouth against yours. A buzz of magic rattled his bones at the feel of your soft lips on his teeth, and he was almost tempted to just forget about the food and show you a good time again. _Stars _he wanted to see you come again, see you writhing beneath him again...

But he restrained himself and retreated to the kitchen.

The pizza went in the microwave and Sans returned to the living room a few minutes later, juggling a couple cans of soda, a bottle of ketchup, and two plates piled with pizza. 

He looked towards the TV to find you running circles with your character on the game, but the moment you noticed him, you stopped and eyed him. 

“hungry?” 

Setting the items on the coffee table, he handed you your plate and plopped on the couch next to you. 

“you’re supposed to actually play, ya know,” he remarked, nodding towards the game on the screen. 

“Y-yeah, I know… just never played before. Don’t know how.” 

Were you sweating? The pits of your shirt were soaked…

_ <strike>she’s still scared of you.</strike> _

…

He forced a grin. “... ah, welp, it’s fine. we got other things we can do.”

Sans took the controller from you and switched back on the WiFi before loading up Netflix. “whaddya wanna watch? i was thinking this - i saw you owned a bunch of books with this name.”

He scrolled over one of the _Harry Potter _movies before peering over at you and winking. “sound good, sweetheart?”

“Sure…” 

You took a deep breath and wiped your hands on your pants before prodding at the plate of pizza in your lap. 

Sans watched out of the corners of his sockets as you slowly picked up a slice and took a bite. 

“It’s good… thank you, Sans…”

You smiled; small and hesitant… but it was there.

_ <strike>fake.</strike>  
_

A sharp intake of breath found him as his soul thumped… and he wasn’t able to stop the ear splitting grin that formed on his face. 

_Stars, _he loved you. 

The sounds of the _Harry Potter _theme played in the background as the movie started up, and Sans leaned back into the mattress before grabbing his own plate of pizza. 

“ketchup?” he shook the bottle in front of you, and you quirked a brow.

“On… pizza?” 

“yeah, why not?”

“Uhh... I’ll pass… thanks, though…” 

“heh, suit yourself. more for me.” 

Silence graced between him and you… and time passed, nothing but the sounds of chewing and the movie playing in the background present in the room. 

But Sans… he wasn’t at all interested in the movie. He was interested in _you. _

He couldn’t help but notice how much you ate. It was… more than he expected. 

Come to think of it… you did look… _thinner… _

… Had he not been feeding you enough? 

How much did humans need to eat…?

He had seen in your memories… there was a time that you could hardly afford to have food in your fridge, and even then you opted to feed your cat before yourself.

... You were so hungry…

Just like he was in the Underground. 

…

He didn’t want you to experience that here. Things would be _better _for you here - he would make sure of that.

... 

He made a mental note to start feeding you more. 

You periodically fidgeted in your seat as you sat next to him, winding your fingers together and sometimes touching the chain. It clinked audibly with each movement. 

Another twist of his soul.

…

…

No, he couldn’t take it off. You might try to run. You might try to _leave him. _

<strike>You **would ** </strike> <strike>try to leave him.</strike>_  
_

“Um, I - uh, I like your decorations…”

You were the one to finally break the silence, staring at your lap as you fiddled with your hands. 

And Sans chuckled, setting down his now empty plate and taking the opportunity to inch closer to you. 

He couldn’t help but notice that you stiffened at this. 

…

“yeah.” He looked around at the various Gyftmas lights and decorations adorning the room, including the extravagant tree in the corner that illuminated the area in a variety of festive colors. “my bro - he’s a fanatic when it comes to decorating for gyftmas. heh, it’s pretty cool, right?”

“Yeah…” 

“sorry you got the smaller tree in your room, but maybe…” He scooted closer to you. “maybe next year you can be in the house, could even help paps decorate. would ya like that, sweetie?”

“... Sure…”

He grinned, the sheer thought of you being here with him all the time making his head grow fuzzy. Wrapping his arm around you, he pulled you flush against his chest. 

“mmm, but you know... we’re gonna hafta get a whole lot closer before that happens…” he whispered against your hair, drawing a claw up the center of your chest. 

A gasp escaped your lips and you froze up. “But we already…” You swallowed. “I thought…”

“awe, didja think that what we did before was bonding?” Pressing his teeth against your ear, he nipped at it before whispering, “that’s not even half of it, sweetheart.”

A deep exhale left him. “your soul felt so good… _you _felt so good… _stars _you’re perfect - have i ever told you that? you’re _so _perfect...”

That night replayed in his mind on repeat, clouding his mind with lust. A drawn out groan left him as his magic shifted in his pelvis, and he stroked his hands along your abdomen and between your thighs… _fuck why do these clothes have to be here. _

You squeaked and pressed your hands against him. “B-but the movie-”

“when we bond i’ll be able to feel everything… your thoughts, feelings, memories… and you’ll be able to feel me too… heh, you know there was a time i never thought i would want that, but everything changed once i met you, precious.” 

He again trailed his hand up your inner thigh, rolling his fingers along your pubic mound over your pants. “_s__tars _i need you… humor me one more time...?”

“Stop!” Eyes widening, you recoiled away so violently that you toppled off of the couch. 

Sans made a grab for you, but was unable to catch you before you fell to the floor with a thump. 

The chain rattled as your body trembled, and you, still on your hands and knees on the ground, peered up at him with saucer-like eyes. You took a few shaky, deep breaths… “S-sorry! Sorry!” 

But Sans was already on his feet, towering over you as his bones _shook _with barely constrained anger, the fog seeming to lift from his mind.

_ **l i a r.** _

...

You… you…

It was all a trick… _wasn’t it? _

_you always knew it,_ his thoughts gnawed at his mind, _you just didn’t want to accept it..._

It was always _there _in your features... but he… he was so desperate for your affection… for you to love him back… 

He wanted you so bad that he was willing to ignore it… to play along… to _pretend… _

Pretend that he’s not forcing you… pretend that you actually _wanted _him... pretend that he could have a happy life with his soulmate...

But he couldn’t ignore it now… he couldn't pretend anymore - your distaste was clear as day on your face.

His rose-tinted fantasy shattered to pieces.

And it was as though someone had taken a knife to his soul and chopped it into tiny pieces. 

But despite the magic raging within his body, he forced a rigid grin. The movie playing in the background was mere white noise to the crushing turmoil that scraped at his skull like nails on a chalkboard. 

Why couldn’t you just love him like he loved you?

_Why? _

** _W h y ?_ **

“heh… what are you playing at, sweetheart...?”

Pushing yourself up to a seated position, you inched away from him. “N-nothing! I just fell!” 

He followed your retreat. “didn’t seem like it was just that… seemed like you told me to _stop._”

Again you scooted away, the chain clinking as it strained against the table. And again, he closed the distance, glowering and leaning over you. “why did ya say that? i thought you _wanted _me.” 

You swallowed before stammering, “I-I-”

“seems to me you were _lying_**_._**” 

He grabbed a fistful of your hair, dragging a whimper out of you as he craned your head back. “when we fucked before, you said that too - you were a _liar _then too, weren’t ya? so, tell me… **_what are you playing at?”_**

You squeezed your eyes shut, flinching and quivering as though you expected him to strike you. He could see a few visible tears bead at the corners of your eyes. 

He released you and stepped back, tucking his hands into his pockets before scoffing. “didja think you’d be able to escape if you got me to let you out of your room?”

Your silence told him everything he needed to know. 

“heh…” He fiddled with the lock chaining you to the coffee table, unlatching it before dragging you to your feet. “well don’t get your hopes up, cause i will _never _let you run from me… and after this shit you pulled, you’ll be staying in that room for quite awhile.

He grabbed your arm and pulled you close, a humorless grin etching at his mouth. “guess we best be taking you back now.” 

And Sans took his time passing through the void to return to your room, wanting to drag it out perhaps to punish you… _knowing _that it made you sick.

You deserved this for trying to trick him… for trying to leave him… 

You _deserved _to feel the same pain you made him feel. 

He reappeared in the room with you and shoved you away from him. Touching you at the moment almost felt like _poison _… the newfound knowledge that you had only _pretended _to want to have sex with sending a stabbing pain straight through his soul.

** _whore. _ **

Why should he be surprised that you would have sex if you thought you would get something out of it? That seemed _just like you._

You toppled to the floor with ease, whimpering as you collided with the concrete. Twisting to look at him, you shot him a pleading look through widened, teary eyes, your small hands pulling at the heavy collar locked around your neck. 

“N-no... stay back!”

Sans snorted at you, advancing a step forward. His magic raged within him, brimming at his fingertips and spilling out of his left socket in a mist of blue, his skull throbbingas though it might split in half from the pressure. “stay back? hehe, why sweetheart? seems like you’re just _begging _for a bad time with this stunt you pulled.” The edges of his jaw twitched into a strained grin. “you hurt my _feelings_, honey.” 

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! P-please don’t hurt me,” you quailed.

...

It was as though the cracked desperation in your voice struck somethingin him and magic dissipating, Sans stopped.

His face dropped to a frown. He hated the way his soul twisted at this. He _despised _that he felt _guilty _about this. 

He deserved to keep you here with him, you were his _soulmate._

He deserved to punish you when you disobeyed. How else would you _learn? _

Grinding his teeth together so hard that it threatened to saw them down to nubs, he grabbed hold of his empty socket and tugged, only letting up when a droplet of blood rolled down the side of his skull and dripped onto his blue jacket. 

He found little distraction in the pain.

Without saying another word, he left.

\-----------

_fuck. _

Sans tossed and turned in bed. He couldn’t sleep - how _could _he sleep? 

You… you _lied _to him… _again _… 

Ungrateful _whore_. Why couldn’t you see how hard he was trying?

He would do _anything _for you to love him back… but you… you would just throw his efforts back in his face.

…

…

Why?

_Why? _

** _Why?_ **

…

He just wanted to be with his soulmate.

His soul simultaneously throbbed and twisted at the thought.

…

His thoughts drifted to you… 

You… alone in that room… that heavy, uncomfortable collar still locked around your neck…

_fuck, i shoulda taken it off… _

_… _

_shit, did i refill the water? _

_… _

Pain shot through his skull as he fretted internally over your wellbeing, his soul thumping rapidly. 

Should he really let you suffer over this…?

You just… you wanted to be free… how could he blame you for that?

He recalled his time in the Underground… the fear, the desperation... the desire for freedom…

…

Allowing you to leave was not a choice… bringing you here was the correct thing to do… it was the _only _option…

It was his _right _to be with his soulmate.

… But he didn’t need to torture you over it...

His intent was to give you a better life here... not make it worse...

He rose from his bed and grabbed the keys to the shackles, shoving them in his coat pocket before collecting the pitcher of water from the fridge. Items in hand, he vanished into the void.

Reappearing into the dim surroundings of your room, his eyes immediately found the mattress where you typically sat.

…

...

You weren’t there.

He couldn’t even sense you in the immediate vicinity, the feel of his magic in your soul entirely absent.

He began to panic, his pupils rapidly darting around the room until his gaze rested on the typically unused door.

...

Not only was it unlocked, but it was wide open. The faint whistle of the chill wind from the outside was blowing into the room.

… And you were nowhere to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading as always! <3 you all!


	20. Adrenaline

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter twenty! We are 2/3rds of the way there! And hey look at that - we are finally caught up to the very first scene in the very first chapter of this story!
> 
> ** Warning: ** Dead Dove: Do Not Eat for this chapter only because I don't want to spoil it for those that don't care about chapter specific warnings/triggers. However, I will include the specific warnings in the end notes for those that would rather see them despite potential spoilers. Just click to the end to check them (better to be safe if you feel there's anything that might bother you).

The second Sans was gone, you were on your feet. Still shaking from the encounter, you grimaced as you withdrew the keys from where you had hidden them within your clothes.

He had been so close to finding them when he started touching you. _ So… close… _

So close that you weren’t able to keep up your facade any longer in a fit of panic that he might discover them. 

But it didn’t matter - you were going to get out! You were actually going to get out! You were going to get to see the sun again, the opportunity to hug your cat once more... you were going to have a future! 

You just had to _ open that door. _

_ Please let these be the right keys… _

You exhaled shakily as you thumbed the metal ring and each key attached before looking towards the still-locked exit.

_ How long before he notices them missing…? _

You might only have a limited amount of time…

_ But what if he comes back? What if he _ ** _sees? _ **

You still had no idea where you were… but when you were in the house, you could see from the window that it was daytime.

… Would it be better to wait? Wait until he sleeps?

He sleeps at night… right...?

You clenched and unclenched your hands, palms growing slick from sweat. You couldn’t mess up what might be your only chance…

You knew full well that you didn’t stand a chance at running if he were to find out. Not with his teleportation abilities. 

Letting out a soft whimper, you dragged yourself over to the mattress and tucked the keys beneath it before sitting down. Hugging your knees to your chest and exhaling meditative breaths, you stared at the door.

_ Be calm. _

_ Breathe. _

_ Bide your time and improve your chances. _

It was hard… you didn’t want to be in this room a second longer. You wanted _ out. _

_ Please let this be the right decision. _

…

You spent the next several hours counting in your head, both in a futile attempt to calm your clawing anxiety and to keep track of the time. 

The longer you stared at the walls, the smaller the room seemed to get… the one door crawling further and further away… like it had become sentient… 

Not even the illumination of the small tree in the room was enough to fend off the hallucinations. 

You choked, tears beading at your eyes as you flattened yourself against the wall… expecting _ him _to appear at any moment and rip your one chance for freedom away from you. 

…

...

You couldn’t remain here a moment longer. 

Jumping to your feet, you snatched the keys and raced to the door, the chain hanging from your neck jangling behind you. Sweat streamed down your forehead as you looked behind yourself to double check that he wasn’t there, before fumbling the ring with trembling hands as you tried each key on the lock.

_ Please… please let one of them work. _

You began to sob when, one by one, they failed to fit as you went down the ring.

No, no, no… was this the wrong set? Were these the wrong keys…?

** _Please. _ **

Perhaps you were too optimistic to believe that Sans would be foolish enough to leave the keys to your prison within reach when you were tied to the coffee table…

They were just… _ there… _like an olive branch being extended out to you. It was easy enough to grab them when he had left for the kitchen.

But of course, they weren’t the right set of keys, were they? Why _ would _they be? 

_ Hahaha… _

You weren’t getting out… 

The tears fell freely as hopelessness set in, the iron collar around your neck suddenly becoming far more noticeable... but you kept trying… you couldn’t just give up. You wanted your freedom… you wanted to go on and have a normal life, become a nurse, get married and have kids… that life would _ never _ be yours if you resigned yourself to being a prisoner. A _ toy _for some psychopath.

And when you heard that ‘click’ you sobbed a sigh of relief, nearly breaking down in gratitude right then and there.

It took all of your strength to pull open the door once you got it unlocked… you had become so weak… 

But you managed, if not just out of sheer desperation. And you weren’t certain what awaited you on the other side. You shook, half expecting that glinting red eye and maniacal grin to fill your view… 

… But instead, you were greeted by a chill breeze that whistled through your ears, goosebumps assaulting your skin as dark, star-filled night obscured your vision. 

You slowly advanced up the steps, eyes darting around and chain clinking as it dragged behind you - you weren't about to waste time trying to remove that now. Your quickened breaths were visible in the air as you hugged yourself, rubbing your arms. And daring to spare a glance behind yourself, you noticed that your _ prison _appeared to be some kind of old disaster shelter.

That explained the metal walls and door…

Lip twitching, you flipped off the room before ascending the rest of the steps. You would _ never _go back.

_ Fuck you, Sans. Go rot in hell. _

Your heart rate seemed to increase with each trembling step you took forward and when you reached the top, you stopped only for a moment to look around. The entire area was surrounded by a dense forest, only vaguely visible under the illumination of the moon. In the center of it all… was a house; an old farmhouse from the looks of it. That had to be _ his _house…

_ Please let him be sleeping. _

Adrenaline taking over, you dashed towards the only opening you could see within the thick of the forest, which was a narrow dirt driveway. You clutched the chain in your hands both to prevent it from dragging and because you just wanted something to _ hold onto. _

The rocks imbedded within the dirt bit into your bare soles each time your feet hit the ground. Despite being allowed to wear other clothes, _ socks _were apparently a privilege that was far too luxurious for you according to Sans. 

But minor discomfort was a mere afterthought to what might happen if you were _ caught. _

The driveway seemed endless… dark… even after the small farmhouse was far out of view, it kept going with no end in sight. 

But there had to be a light at the end of the tunnel! There had to be a road! You could flag someone for help, be rescued… 

Your story would have a happy ending… right? … right?

… Right…?

Your heart thudded in your chest, clothes drenched in sweat that brought a wet chill to your skin as you feared that _ he _would appear in front of you at any moment and return you to that horrible _ prison. _

He had said he could sense your location… because he _ marked you. _Would he be able to find you…? 

… How long did you have before he noticed you were missing…? 

You clamped a hand over your mouth to muffle a shriek when you spotted headlights in the distance… creeping closer and closer… the rumbling sounds of a vehicle audible to your pounding ears. Coming to a skidding halt, you ducked into the forest and hid behind a thick tree as you waited for the vehicle to pass. It was a red, older styled mustang.

… Could that be Sans…? 

Or maybe… his brother…

You couldn’t trust his brother either...

Did he _ see _you? 

_ Please, please, please, please… _

You shook uncontrollably, body flat against the bark of the trunk and hand muffling your whimpers as the vehicle slowed and came to a stop next to you. 

You didn’t trust for a second that it wasn’t him. Or someone else that would return you to him. This was _ his _driveway, so no doubt anyone traveling it had some relation to him. 

The longer the vehicle remained, the louder the ominous sounds of the idling grew: choking and rumbling right next to you. Air escaped you in hyperventilating pants and you tried vainly to hold it, fearing that whoever this was could _ see _your breaths as they condensed into vapor in the cold night. 

_ Please… go away… _

Should you ** _run_**? 

You quite nearly did… before you heard the vehicle shift gears… and the rumbling sounds of it driving away…

_ Thank god… _

Exhaling the breath you were holding in, you waited until the car was well out of sight before pushing yourself off the tree and persevering onward. The fear of the vehicle returning fresh in your mind, you remained in the forest parallel to the driveway. 

You couldn’t be spotted by the wrong person. 

The forest floor remained harsh on your bare feet, assortments of rocks and sticks jabbing your soles much like the dirt road, but the wet, cold squish of the soil buffered it somewhat. The scent of pine and dew hit your nostrils, and might have been pleasant had this been a peaceful walk through the forest as opposed to running for your life. 

Yelping, you flailed your hands in front of you and dropped the chain when you ran into what felt like a spiderweb. Frantically brushing it off of your face, a rush of adrenaline found you yet again as you began to race through the forest. 

_ Where?! Where is the road?! _

Heart hammering through your throat, you wove between trees and hopped over rocks. The chain dragged behind you, jangling against the ground, and your breath quickened at each bump of resistance it caused. What if it was _ him _trying to grab it?! 

The deeper you went into the forest, the thicker it seemed to get… the illumination of the moon no longer present due to becoming obscured by the overhead coverage.

No… no… where were you?

A shriek escaped your tightened throat when you felt the iron collar yank at your neck, the cool metal biting into your skin. _ No! _

You whipped around, ready to fight if need be.

… Only to find the chain caught on the branch of a fallen tree. Ragged pants leaving you, you hurriedly undid the chain and collected it into your hands before continuing forward.

_ Okay… okay… _

_ Breathe… _

_ Be smart about this… _

You slowed your pace, attempting to calm your galloping heart as you tried to make sense of where you _ were. _

All you could see was obsidian night that yawned endlessly into the distance, the chill air prickling your sweat-streaked skin and droplets of dew wetting your clothes. Even the normal sounds of the forest seemed nothing short of ominous… the rustling of the wind… the yowling of coyotes… the crack of a branch... 

What if it was _ him _ looking for you? 

In the back of your mind, you could _ hear _ his heavy footsteps… _ see _that hellish red orb bouncing in the distance even though you knew it was just your imagination. Your lungs burned with each breath, instinctively fearing what he would do if he caught you. Would he punish you with his magic again…? Something _worse? _

<strike>Maybe if you went back now… you wouldn’t be punished.</strike>

<strike>It’s not like you were going to be successful anyways.</strike>

_ No, no… what are you _ ** _thinking, _ ** you reprimanded yourself. ** **

You had to _ try. _ You would never forgive yourself if you didn’t _ try. _

You could escape. You _ would _escape. 

The heroine always prevailed at the end of every horror movie. 

And as you kept trudging onward, you heard something else: a deep, gurgling rumble, and you spotted the glint of headlights in the distance… was that another vehicle? It looked like a semi-truck so it couldn’t be Sans or his brother. _ Hopefully… _

Was that the highway?

_ Yes, yes! _

You were going to make it! You were going to be rescued! 

You nearly sobbed tears of gratitude as you quickened your pace, not even caring how much it hurt to walk due to your now-raw and bloodied soles. 

Stepping over another log, you felt something awkward… 

… Followed by a metallic snap...

… And shrieked when sharp pain rocketed through your leg, making your vision momentarily blank out. You doubled over in agony, falling to the forest floor as you clutched culprit leg. 

The smell of copper entered the air, mingling with the mildewy scent of the forest… 

Whimpering, you touched your calf, feeling something sharp and metal lodged into the muscle, blood soaking the fabric of your pants and seeping into the forest floor. 

_ No… _

You… you were so close…

...

Your mind urged you on: _ Don’t give up! _

It felt like a bear trap… those had a means to disengage them right…? 

Searching for the lever, you grabbed hold of it and _ pushed… _ sobbing when you found yourself lacking the strength to complete the task. _ Please… please… _

_ Don’t let this be the end! _

Ignoring the pain as best you could, you thought of your future as you dug through the soil; desperate to dislodge the chain root from the ground. 

_ You can make it! You can do this! _

_ You _ ** _will _ ** _ do this. _

Hope rushed through your veins, a strangled noise of delirious glee escaping you as you found yourself successful after what felt like hours of digging. Your hands were raw and coated in wet dirt, body numbed from the cold and the injury leaving you light-headed… but you didn’t care… 

You began to drag yourself towards the road. 

_ Just a little bit more. _

You were going to make it! You were going to - 

The chain yanked at your throat, an unmistakably heavy footstep sounding behind you that was _ not _your imagination. 

And you froze. 

...

“... what'cha doin’ out here sweetheart?”

_ No... _

Whimpering, you slowly turned your head to face the source of the hauntingly familiar voice, trembling violently as a demonic red eye the size of a pinprick came into view. Ivory bones that were speckled with dirt and blood, and a blue jacket that was similarly disheveled filled your gaze soon after.

_ No! _

Sans crouched next to you, stroking his fingers through your tangled, dirt-marred hair in a falsely soothing gesture. And all you could do was shake and cower, your words and even your screams catching in your stiffened throat. 

** _No!_ **

… His voice sounded so gentle… his gesture almost _ loving… _but there wasn’t a single thing nice about his expression...

… Not with how his jaw tensed and ground together, the way drool seeped from his teeth, his nonexistent pupils and narrowed red hue…

“you’re… you’re not tryin’ to _ leave _are ya? … you know that’s not allowed, precious.”

Despite knowing the futility of it all, you frantically shook your head and forced out gargled words, “N-no I-“

“and look, you went and got yourself hurt…”

A shiver coursed over your spine as he traced his dirtied claws down your body, rubbing his fingers over the iron trap as though caressing it. 

“should’ve ** _stayed inside._**”

You screamed, vision blanking in and out as white, hot pain rocketed up your leg when Sans pressed on the trap.

“Stop! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Stop! Please stop! I won’t do it again!” 

His grin stretched and he let up on the pressure. Again, he pet you, his fingers coarse against your skin. “shhh, shhh… i know you won’t… _ i’ll make sure of it._”

You yelped when he unlatched the trap, blood now gushing freely from the wound and pooling onto the ground. Tears streaming down your cheeks, you whimpered as Sans collected you into his arms and nuzzled his face against yours. 

“let’s go home and getcha cleaned up.” 

Sobbing, you cast one more desperate look towards the barely visible road; praying that _ someone _ would see you and realize that you needed _ help_… 

But it was pointless. 

Your world spun and went dark. And you only sobbed harder when the room you had just escaped came into view, nearly hurling you into a state of catatonia. 

The nausea that roiled your stomach from the teleportation was a mere afterthought to the agony in your leg… the despondence that you were right back at square one… 

You trembled as Sans set you down on the mattress and propped you up against the wall, his broad body looming over you…

_ No... _

What was he going to do to you…? 

He flashed you a falsely innocent grin before sauntering over to the door, humming as he closed and re-locked it. He stared at you pointedly, grin stretching as though to mock your futile hope for freedom as he lifted a hand. Blue mist encircled it and several large bones rose from the ground to bar the door. 

“can never be too careful.” He snickered rigidly as he picked up the keys from the ground. “you were pretty lucky ya know. these are the spare keys.” He jangled then in your view. “heh, my bro must’ve put them in the living room without me noticing. always trying to keep a tidy house and blaming me when i forget to pick things up.”

He cast you another wide, tense grin… and then vanished. 

No… no… he couldn’t just _ leave. _

You would _ die _without treatment… you didn’t want to die… 

_ <strike>Maybe dying would be better than this hell.</strike>  
_

Sniffling, you winced as you grabbed the blanket and pressed it against your wounded leg to combat the bleeding. Your entire body shook, vision growing misty and head fuzzy…

You couldn’t give up…

A pained noise leaving you, you used your hands to drag yourself along the concrete ground towards the cage of bones that barred the exit. Pushing yourself up and wrapping your trembling fingers around two of the singular bones, you _ pulled. _

_ Please… please… _

_ Please let there be some way to get out. _

Head throbbing, the scent of copper coursed through your nostrils, sight further blurring as you wobbled and a feeling of lightheadedness hitting you like a ton of bricks. You groaned, sliding down the bones and collapsing onto the concrete ground.

The rainbow illumination of the tree danced in your peripheral as black mottled your view...

…

…

...

You were jarred awake, bleary vision coming into focus as you felt something cold pressed against your lips. A skeletal thumb stroked over your cheeks, wiping away the tears and forcing a shudder out of you. 

You were alive… 

…

You were still alive in this _ hell. _

You cringed away best you could from him. You _ hated _ how his bones felt against your skin. You _ despised _how he could pretend to comfort you when he was the cause of it all. 

Again something glass was pressed against your lips. It was a cup of glowing green liquid...

And you realized you were back on the mattress, covered in the now-bloody blanket and propped up against the wall.

You looked at Sans, suspicious, and he simply smiled. “green magic,” he clarified, “will heal ya right up.” 

Pursing your lips, you hesitated, not at all trusting of anything _ he _gave you. He was acting far too nice… 

He pressed the glass harder against your mouth, forcing past your lips and pushing it against your teeth, bones growing more rigid than they already were. 

… And seeing no option, you opened your mouth and allowed him to pour the liquid down your throat. You were in no condition to fight back… 

Even if it killed you… you were already dying anyways…

<strike>Your escape attempt failed… what was the point…?</strike>

Almost immediately, your body grew tingly and numb, the wound on your leg shifting from burning pain to a dull itchiness. Setting the glass down, Sans pulled the blanket from your grasp and wrapped it around your leg. 

He dragged his nasal cavity up the side of your head, looping an arm around you and giving you an adoring look. “there… should be all patched up in a couple of hours. just stay still, sweetheart.”

Your anxious gaze found his. He was still acting that way... talking with a sweet voice that made it seem as though he _wasn't_ mad.

But you didn’t miss the obvious tenseness of his bones… how his red hue remained shrunken into a quivering speck… the subtle rattling of his body that made it seem as though he was trying to hold himself back… 

Throat locking up, you trembled. Wanting to find the words to apologize, beg... _ something _to spare yourself further pain… fearing that he was planning something awful…

But nothing came.

You yelped, instinctively bracing yourself and cowering when he reached behind himself, more than expecting some torture device to be produced. 

Instead, he pulled out his tablet. 

Humming as he switched it on, he settled himself next to you… _ far _too close for comfort. You flinched away, but he wrapped his arm around your shoulders and pulled you flush against the side of his ribcage.

“howabout we watch somethin’ to take your mind off of it?” 

He pecked your temple before pulling up Netflix and turning on _ The Office_. And you cringed, recalling how he had mentioned that he had visited you that one forgotten night in the hotel and now knowing full well that the only reason he knew you liked the show was because you watched it that night. 

Propping the tablet up, he held it out for the both of you to see, all the while running his free hand up and down your arm in a way that only made you quake.

“just relax precious… it’s alright… it’s alright...” he cooed as he nuzzled the top of your head. 

_ Fuck you, _you thought bitterly. 

_He _was the reason you were so scared… how could he just sit here and pretend that he’s not?

The show did very little to distract you from your predicament, you barely even registering what was occurring. The happiness of the characters on the show only served to further your sense of hopelessness.

Tears found you once again as you began to sob into his coat, the chain draping down your back rattling as your shoulders shook. You didn’t care if it pissed him off or worsened whatever horrible punishment he was inevitably planning. It didn’t matter… 

You weren’t ever getting out of here, were you…? 

You were going to _ die _in this place. 

He hugged you closer to himself, whispering falsely sweet words of love that did little to calm you and stroking you in a way that was simply _demeaning_; only further cementing the idea that you were nothing but a pet to this monster. 

The ring on your finger had never felt so heavy… nor the magical mark on your shoulder so hot.

“are you sorry that you ran, sweetheart?”

You lifted your head to look at him, staring at the tiny red speck that quivered in his left socket. And slowly, you nodded.

His mouth curved into a tense grin, his blood-caked claws sweeping across your cheeks to wipe the tears away. “ya see… i don’t think you are…”

You froze as his tone abruptly dropped to one that was significantly darker. 

“i think… you would try to run again if ya could… isn’t that right, sweetheart?” 

Hurriedly, you shook your head. “N-no…” you managed through your constricted throat, “I’m sorry… I-I won’t run anymore…” 

Setting the tablet to the side, Sans began to rummage through the bag he had brought with him… producing a large padlock. You recognized it - he has used that to lock you to the coffee table in the house. 

Sending a single_ look _your way, he grabbed the chain and wrapped it around the closest metal ring on the wall, threading the padlock through and clicking it shut. 

You winced at the sound, the ominous ‘click’ seeming to spell nothing but your doom. 

“course ya won’t… not if i can help it.”

Shivering, you wiggled away from him as he traced a hand along your shoulder and down your clothing - which was now marred with wet dirt and leaves. He settled it on your injured leg, which you were shocked to find no longer hurt and the slightest. Even the tingling was gone.

Unwrapping the make-shift blanket bandage and pushing up your pant leg, he trailed his claws up your calf to scratch at the white scar tissue that had replaced the once gushing wound. And your jaw dropped… it was already _ healed? _In that short amount of time?

... 

What kind of magic were monsters hiding from humans? This could save so many lives… 

And Sans apparently cued in on your look of amazement, flashing you a wry grin. “pretty neat, right?” 

That haunting look was still present in his sockets, one that told you he was simply _ pissed _despite his relaxed words. 

You nodded in hopes to placate him. 

“yeah, heh, magic is pretty cool.” His bony fingers pricked at the bare skin of your leg and he pushed your pant leg up further. “hey... can you feel that?”

He pressed his claws firm into your skin, the minimal muscle of your calf collapsing under the pressure. Normally, this would be painful… but now, there was only a dull itchiness. Blinking rapidly, you shook your head. 

Why would he ask that…?

His red hue seemed to illuminate with a brief burst of light as he stared. “good, 'cause there’s somethin’ else i gotta do now…but i’d rather it not be _ painful_… i’d never want to cause my cute lil’ soulmate pain, no matter how naughty she’s been...”

Face paling, a chill ran down your spine, body seeming to grow even number. The latter of his words were infuriating - because they were entirely untrue… but you were still stuck on his first sentence.

“... Wh-what else do you h-have to do…?” you asked after a pause, an array of possibilities intruding your mind, each one terrifying you more than the last.

But he didn’t grace you with an answer, his grin turning simply _ maniacal _ as his crimson eye trembled. Slowly, he lifted your leg, nuzzling your ankle and coursing his hands up and down your calf as though cradling it. “not certain i believe ya still can’t get away… and… well... you know i can’t risk letting you _ leave.” _

Blood pounding through your years, you wanted to yank away from him… but it was like watching a trainwreck, your muscles locking up in fear as you found yourself unable to move… unable to even _ look away… _

“… you have to pay the _ penalty _ for running, for tryin' to leave your soulmate…” He flashed you a sympathetic smile, but it was contradicted by the sheer chaos that sparked in his sockets as his grip on your leg tightened. “real sorry 'bout this precious, hate being the one that has to deal the punishment. _i_ don’t wanna hurt you… but this is _ your _fault.”

Your leg began to twist-

Shocked out of your stupor, panic rocketed through you and you began to struggle, trying to rip your leg from his grasp. “N-no! _ Sans _please! Please don’t! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I won’t leave you! L-look! I can’t escape anymore anyways - even if I wanted to!” You yanked at the chain tied to your neck, desperate to grab his attention. “But I don’t! I learned my lesson!”

He paused, eye-lights seeming to soften as he looked at you. And he dropped your leg.

…

...

_ “ _ ...you really aren’t that great of a liar, sweetheart. _ ” _

Grin stretching so wide that you weren’t certain how it fit on his face, he cooed, “don’t worry, you won’t feel a thing… but, heh... maybe it’s best ya don’t look.” 

There was a burst of blue in his left socket as he leaned forward, the rusted metal of an axe flashing before he covered your eyes and the feeling of him pressing a knee to your outstretched ankle to pin it. But you hardly had time to panic or even react. 

It was instantaneous

There was a clatter. Followed by an oozing warmth that you could only vaguely feel.

A throbbing pressure rattled your left leg, challenging the numbness and making you light-headed as it reverberated up your bones. You yelped, thrashing your head around to try to throw him off. 

The scent of metal wafted through the air and you felt the gushing sensation of _ something _seeping from that leg as Sans tightened his grip over your eyes.

“stay still, you’re gonna make it worse. let the magic do its work.”

Your heart pounded through your chest and in a spurt of adrenaline, you pried his hand from your face.

… And screamed so loud that you made your own ears ring when you observed the sight in front of you.

Your foot… your entire lower left _ leg _ from the kneecap down.

… It wasn’t attached to you anymore…

There was a small pool of blood oozing around the end of your knee… which was now somehow _ healed _just like before into a scar tissue-ridden stump, wrinkled and white, coating the rounded end. 

And sitting just a foot away… was the other half of your left leg, the unattached end similarly healed over.

A cracking wail ripped past your lips as you felt your entire body turn numb, growing so nauseous that you teetered on the edge of fainting. 

He chopped off your leg.

_ He chopped off your leg. _

The blood-coated axe vanished from Sans’ hand in a mist of blue magic. He then picked up the severed portion of your leg and waved it in front of you, the scar tissue from the now-healed wound the bear trap had caused still visible on it.

“heh, least now i got a _ leg _up on you,” Sans crooned with a snicker, crimson light blazing so viciously it was as though his socket was on fire. “guess i better put this somewhere safe, keep it in good condition.” 

Face paled and clammy, your teary vision began to blur as you grew woozy. “W-why…” you rasped through a silent sob as black spots danced in your view, body slumping to the side. 

Sans grabbed you, pulling you upright and lightly slapping your cheeks. “don’t pass out on me again sweetheart, it’s not good for you.” 

Setting your dismembered leg aside, he crouched in front of you; pulling your pant leg back down so that it covered your stump and having the _ audacity _to peck your forehead. He stroked his fingers along your jawbone, claws pricking your skin as he wiped away your tears. “shhh, shhh… it’s alright… you know i had to right? and hey, least the magic you drank makes it so it doesn’t hurt - it healed right up.”

All you could do was wail as he held you and cooed fake words of sympathy and comfort. Would you ever be able to walk again…?

You were permanently disfigured now... 

He pulled back, red hue bright as he stared at you. “just don’t forget… _ you brought this on yourself. _” 

His jaw twitched around the edges. “i’m pretty disappointed, really thought we were making progress but seems you still have a lot to learn… so while i doubt you’ll even be _ able _to run off now, let's make one thing clear…” His gaze darkened. “leave me again and not only will i take your other leg, but that kitty cat of yours?” Your eyes widened and he continued, “yeah, it’s fine and alive right now, but ya pull this shit again and i can guarantee it won’t be.”

No… he… he wouldn’t…

_ You know that he would_, your brain solemnly reminded you. 

It was as though a one-ton weight had been dropped in your stomach; your last shred of hope ripped from your body.

His expression softened, left socket once more becoming a sea of red. He bopped your nose with a single index finger before pulling a dead leaf from your matted, dirt-caked hair. “remember sweetie, healthy relationships are built on trust… i’ll fix ya right up once you repair the damage you’ve done… but now? heh, we’re back to square one.” 

_ This is the furthest thing from a healthy relationship, you goddamn psycho. _

In the midst of your turmoil, that’s what you wanted to say. But you lacked the energy to fight back and retort… he wouldn’t listen even if you did. You just sat there as he wrapped you into a hug, ears ringing, sobbing and trying to ignore the goofy, sickeningly _ joyous _grin planted on his face. 

...

You stopped trying to think about your future. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, blood, limb dismemberment and extreme injury. But there is no gore. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate everyone who has stuck with me for this ride so far! <33 You are all amazing and I love you (in a platonic, non-creepy way I promise!)


	21. History

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warnings: ** This chapter contains explicit non-consensual sexual content

A ragged breath escaped you as you knocked your head against the metal wall, glazed over eyes staring at the dull, buzzing light on the ceiling while you fisted the blankets. Grimacing, you re-adjusted your leg stump so that it rested atop a pillow. 

It hurt… 

_Everything _hurt. 

Nothing you tried helped. No matter how you laid or what you thought about, all you felt was dull agony aching at your body. 

The liquified magic Sans had made you consume the night he amputated your leg worked for a time…

… And then it wore off.

After that, that pain started. 

It didn’t matter what he did to try to make it ‘better’, it didn’t matter how many blankets and pillows he piled around you to make you more ‘comfortable’ or how much more of that green magical swill he fed you; it was _agonizing._

Had it been any other injury, you might have been thankful for the distraction to your predicament… but this…

With this… you would never be able to get away from him… the only hope you had was to pray for rescue, which felt more unlikely every day you remained trapped in this tiny room. 

Would you ever walk again…?

Sans said he would heal you if you made it up to him... that was his constant reminder to you every time he saw you in pain.

But how…? How do you heal a severed leg…?

You didn’t trust him at all.

Even if you did make it up to him, even if he _did _have the capability to re-attach your leg… you didn’t believe for a second that he would _actually _heal you.

<strike>But maybe he would</strike>…

...

...

No… a monster like Sans... he seemed just the type to prefer you stay crippled. 

Easier to to ensure you’d never run…

Easier to control you…

A ruse to manipulate you into compliance with the constant promise of ‘healing’ you…

… 

…

…

You bit your tongue, bringing the taste of copper to your mouth. There was no hope for you… the world was a cruel place where bad things happened to good people. Alyssa died because she stood up for you… and you… you were still trapped in this hell.

Sure, you were far from perfect; you'd done some morally questionable things in your lifetime. But you'd never done anything to deserve _this. _

And you knew… kidnapping victims were rarely found alive. Once the victim was brought to a second location and after twenty-four hours had passed, the chances of finding the victim decreased considerably… 

… Both of which had already long ago occurred for you…

There was _no hope. _It was a waste of time to pretend that there was; energy you didn’t have left to spend. 

Heaving a cracked sigh, you swallowed the blood that had accumulated in your mouth before nestling into the blankets, trying to hide yourself from your surroundings and will yourself to sleep.

Sleep was your saving grace… it allowed a temporary escape to the hell you were trapped in, aside from the occasional nightmare. And even _those _were preferable to reality. 

Not to mention, sleeping was all you had to do when Sans wasn’t here… he didn’t allow you the luxury of books or another hobby to pass the time. It almost made you look forward to his visits in a morbid sense, because at least you would have something to keep your mind occupied.

… <strike>When he was here, you weren’t alone</strike>...

You wondered if he planned it that way.

...

_Asshole... _

A part of you wanted to request some of the books from your apartment… you had a lot of them. But you were _scared_... he... he might take your other leg... kill your cat...

You couldn't risk angering him.

... Not to mention the shred of pride you still held onto; the refusal to request something that would make this _prison_ 'homey'.

Pulling the blanket over your head, your eyes began to drift shut.

You didn’t even notice the atmosphere in the room shift, didn’t hear the heavy footsteps… you were only shocked out of your state when you felt a rough hand stroke over your scalp to rest against your forehead.

“sweetie… you okay…? does it still hurt…?”

Cracking your eyes open, you grimaced, both from the pain and him having the _gall _to say something like that. Of course it fucking hurt. It’s _his fault _it fucking hurt. You wished you had the energy to slap him. 

He pulled you to a seated position, allowing your back to lean against the wall and making you cringe when he nuzzled his nasal cavity into the side of your head.

… Were you a weak person for just giving in like this? A part of you _wanted _to fight, but… you didn’t want any more pain… everything already hurt so bad… 

He vibrated against you as he chuckled. “it’s alright…” 

_No! It’s not alright! _You screamed internally as you began to shake. 

Cradling your face into his bony palms, Sans’ bright eye lights hovered over you. “you know i didn’t _want _to… right? you made me do it… cause you tried to leave.” 

Despite the anger and humiliation clawing at your insides, you gave him what you knew he wanted and nodded your head; blinking away the tears that threatened to form.

Sans made a pleased sound before ruffling your hair, making heat rise to your face. “... m’sorry it hurts - wasn’t my intention. heh, i’m not that experienced with these kinds of things… but you can handle it right? you’re tough, i know ya can.” 

Humming, he twisted behind himself to root through… something… 

You craned your head and saw that he had brought a box with him. Your muscles locked up, breath hitching. Was he going to torture you _more? _

Memories came rushing back... seeing your severed leg waved in front of you... the crushing feeling of his magic on your chest... the constant pain you were experiencing...

You choked audibly. You couldn’t fathom the idea of _more._

When he whipped back around with an object in hand, you instinctively yelped and cowered, pressing your hands in front of you and clenching your eyes shut. 

“happy valentine’s day, sweetheart.”

You felt the smoothness of teeth brush across your forehead and something light set atop your lap. Daring to open your eyes, you saw Sans grinning at you, his ruby hue dilated and flickering. And in his hands was a bouquet of roses and a… white-furred stuffed bear holding a heart? Trailing down to stare at your lap, you saw a pink, heart-shaped box of chocolates complete with a velvet red bow-tie.

… _What? _

Sans looked overly satisfied with himself in a way that made you want to vomit… but you… you were still caught up on what he _said. _

_Valentine’s Day...? _

_It’s _ ** _Valentine’s Day?_ **

It was late November when you were kidnapped… and your escape attempt was back in December...

So it’d been three months now…

And two months you’d been without a leg… relying on _him _for simple things like getting up to go to the bathroom or bathing you…

It was… _strange. _Time had passed so fast yet so slow… in fact it was almost as though time didn’t _exist _for you anymore.

Especially considering he had yet to remove the rainbow-lit Christmas tree in the corner. 

At least it confirmed that you didn’t get… pregnant... from your _encounter _with him. You presumed you would notice by now if you were. 

_I missed a period though… _

Your heart sped up at the realization, but you reassured yourself with the idea that this was due to malnourishment, not pregnancy. And if this was the case, then you wouldn’t even be able to get pregnant.

It was a strange relief, but it still did little to placate you. 

Three months… and the outside world has been ticking away without you. Probably not even missing you.

Tears leaked from your eyes, dripping onto the box of chocolates in your lap. The flickering glow of red flashed in your peripheral, and you didn’t protest when Sans tucked the stuffed bear and flowers next to you before patting your head. 

You squeezed your eyes shut.

… A small part of you could pretend it’s _not him _and find some comfort in it. 

Skeletal hands left your head and you felt the box on your lap shift, a piece of what you presumed was chocolate pressed against your lips moments later. You opened your eyes, only for engorged crimson to fill your view, the sharp tips of claws lightly grazing the edges of your mouth.

Sans grinned at you. “try it, might make ya feel better… heard human girls love chocolate, so i got you the biggest box.” 

Pursing your lips momentarily, you opened your mouth to allow Sans to set the chocolate on your tongue. You ate it without protest, only grimacing slightly when coconut hit your tastebuds. 

Sans cocked his head. “don’t like it?”

Working your tongue around your mouth, you hesitated to answer, but after a pause you managed, “Not a fan of… coconut…” 

“ah.” Sans flipped the lid on the box, pupils scanning the ‘cheat sheet’ on the back. “well, it’s good you’re learning not to let food go to waste now… woulda hated to of had to force ya to eat it.” 

“here, try this one.” Again a piece of chocolate was pressed against your lips. “caramel.” 

And once more, you complied without complaint. The extreme sweetness hurt your teeth as you bit down, but it tasted better than the coconut. In the back of your mind, you knew it was demeaning to allow him to feed you like this but… what was the point in resisting?

The chocolate was a nice change of pace to the burnt spaghetti and greasy fast food that was your typical fare.

“... anyone ever told ya what happened in the underground?” 

Your eyes darted to Sans at the sudden question and slowly, you shook your head. There were rumors… theories… but you had never heard the story from an actual monster. 

You understood it was a sore subject, and as such had always avoided bringing it up around your monster customers.

A rigid grin etched at the corners of Sans’ mouth and he settled himself next to you, continuing to pick out chocolates and pop them into your mouth as he spoke. 

“well sweetie… i can assure you, if you lived through what i did down there… you’d never waste a crumb.”

You were wary to ask, the sheer _idea _of willingly speaking to him wounding your pride… but a part of you didn’t care anymore… you wanted a distraction from the pain, even if _he _was the distraction. “Can you tell me…? … Tell me what happened that is…”

“hehe, awe, you want all the gritty details? … sure i can do that for ya…” His ruby hue narrowed as he pointed to his skull. “i’ll even tell ya how i got _this._”

Eye-light filling its socket again, he smiled. “... soulmates should know everything about each other after all. that’s the foundation of a strong bond.”

You tried to ignore the way Sans pet you as he spoke of his past, continuing to intermittently feed you chocolates all the while. There was a roil in your gut that warned you of future stomach upset from eating all these sweets… but you knew Sans wouldn’t listen if you told him… there was _zero point _in attempting it.

_What was the point in any of it… _

Everything hurt so bad…

“- ya know, i tried real hard to fix the core… to _help_… but for undyne it wasn’t enough… like, you ever think someone is your friend one day and the next they flip a switch?”

_He _came to mind… but you bit your tongue and merely nodded.

“welp, that’s how i ended up with this.” He traced the crack in his skull. “all cause of that traitorous _bitch.” _

Sans’ previously rigid expression morphed into one of glee. “but she _paid… _cause us in snowdin… we got first dibs after the ruins - do you know what we ate, sweetheart?” 

In the back of your mind, you already knew. It was humans… Sans had eaten _humans… _but when the words exited his mouth, it still made you gag, you nearly losing the chocolate contents of your stomach. 

His grin softened as he leveled his gaze with you, seeming to notice your distress. “ah, but don’t worry sweetheart… i’d never eat _you._” His ruby hue shifted as his eye-lights raked down your form. “at least… not in that way, hehe.”

You pursed your lips at the lewd insinuation, unwanted memories flooding your mind. And he chuckled, pushing another piece of chocolate past your lips.

This one had a cherry filling…

“anyways, since we killed all the humans before undyne got ahold of them… they were never able to get the food they needed at the capital nor the souls to break the barrier, and her and that cunt alphys starved to death. heh, they came to snowdin to look for food multiple times, but we always hid it.”

How many humans has Sans killed…?

...

_Do I even want to know…? _

“after that, we were able to focus on escaping the underground... it took a little while, but we managed to collect seven human souls to break the barrier.” 

The look of pride in his sockets forced a shiver of disgust to roll up your spine, your leg somehow hurting even more. _So much for the distraction… _

“i admit i don’t remember them that well, but one stood out to me… was some little girl named aliza. she was quite the fighter that one - almost made it through all the puzzles… but i hadda hunch she was cheatin’.” 

You furrowed your brows. “Puzzles…?” 

“yeah, my bro’s idea… never was a fan of dishonorable kills my bro… he didn’t think it was _fair _if we didn’t give 'em a chance.”

“But you… you…” You knew what you _wanted _to say - you remembered the vision you saw during the… _soul mating… _“You…”

“what? spit it out.” Sans rasped his claws impatiently against your shoulder. 

“I… _saw_… you killed someone… a _child… _” You shuddered at the memory, wanting nothing more than to banish those visions from your mind. “How was that _fair _…?” 

“hehe yeah, betcha saw a lot during that fun lil encounter… i saw a lot _too_.” Sans’ red hue narrowed before re-engorging to fill its socket. An innocent grin rose to his face and his shoulders rolled into a shrug. “my bro wasn’t always around, he was a member of the royal guard after all… and, well, can’t say i cared as much about goin’ through all the puzzles without him - was way too much work. easier to just cut to the chase.” 

“Do you ever feel guilty?” you croaked out, noticing that he didn’t appear to display a hint of remorse for what he had done. Had he seemed upset about it… you might have understood. But Sans spoke about humans as though they were _commodities… _just _tools _to be used - or eaten.

“... why should i? it’s not like i _wanted _to eat humans - i tried to hold off for a long time, but we were starving… don’t pretend you wouldn’t do the same thing, i’ve heard all _sorts _of stories bout’ you humans eatin' each other to survive. least with me it’s not actually cannibalism since i’m no human.” Sans heaved a lengthy sigh. “it’s funny - lots of monsters do feel guilty about it. think i’m one of the few that doesn’t. even my bro… he doesn’t even remember what happened in the underground now. developed a good ol’ case of repressed memories due to the guilt.”

You thought of Aaron… kind, funny, flirty Aaron… it was difficult to imagine him doing the things Sans described. It made you wonder if he had repressed those memories too… or felt guilty enough about them to the point of trying his best to be kind to humans.

Or maybe... he was a kind monster in disguise just like Sans was, waiting for the opportunity to _pounce. _

“when we got to the surface, we all agreed not to tell the humans what we did to survive - _i _know how intolerant your species is… but of course, rumors still got out.” Sans chuckled before cocking his head, expression turning adoring as he bopped your nose with a index finger. “besides... if i didn’t do all that, i never woulda met _you_… my cute lil’ human soulmate. it all worked out.”

You cringed at the gesture, only to find yet another chocolate shoved into your mouth. This one was just plain dark chocolate.

“thanks for showin’ me that not all humans are useless, sweetheart,” he cooed, nuzzling you. “you made me realize that the world isn’t complete shit.”

_Like I give a fuck about your happiness… _

Tears fell silently as you again began to cry. It _wasn’t fair _that he could pretend to be so loving and affectionate… say and do things that you could only dream of when you and Jake were a couple.

The entire time you were with Jake, he never remembered Valentine’s Day… never got you a _single _present… never took the time to express how much he loved you… 

It _wasn’t fair. _

“hey… hey… precious… are ya still hurting?” 

Lifting your head, you looked at him… and nodded. Maybe he’d take pity on you... heal you or at least give you _something _for the pain.

But instead his grin turned wolfish, ruby hue engorging and pupils flashing in a way you _really _didn’t like. You had seen that look from him before… 

Stomach dropping, you shrunk away, only for him to scoot closer and wrap his arms around you. His claws pricked at your abdomen… drawing lower to play with your waistband… 

“betcha i can distract ya… hehe.” His grin widened and as you tensed, he added on, “just relax love, i’ll take care of you.” 

Your hands twitched and clenched, body simultaneously freezing up and shaking. And as his hand crept beneath your pants, you summoned the courage to grab hold of his wrist. You shook your head. “N-no…” 

His expression grew rigid, dropping to a frown. And you forced a smile, hurriedly adding on, “N-not in the mood!”

Which was actually… completely true… you were never in the mood, considering it was _him _and with the condition of your leg, it was double true. 

The edges of his mouth twitching, his grin returned… one that made you want to shrink further into the tiny corner he had you pressed against. 

“heh, but sweetie, you don’t want to leave your _soulmate _high and dry on valentine’s day, do ya?”

A desperate noise slipped past your lips as you felt his bones slide across your palm, forcing past your grip, his claws pricking at your pubic mound. 

_Soulmate… _

_Soulmate… _

Why oh why did fate give you such an awful soulmate…?

_Why...? _

Pressing his teeth against your ear, he nipped at your earlobe before whispering, “mmm… shhh, shhh… settle down precious… you’ll be alright… i’m just doin’ what we _both _need...” 

It did _not _relax you, it certainly was not what you _needed _right now, and you didn’t believe for a second that you’d be ‘alright’... you were the furthest thing from ‘alright’. 

But you lacked the energy to do much when his bony fingers slithered between your folds. Your leg stump throbbed, and you tried your best to focus on the pain… focus on _anything _else as the hard appendages pressed against your entrance, before pulling back to rub circles around your clit. 

Him brushing directly over the small bud jolted you back to reality and you yelped as the stimulation rocketed straight to your gut. You pushed against him, sobbing. “S-stop…! I said n-no… please _stop… _t-this is _rape... _” 

Sans stiffened, his grip on you tightening and you swore you saw his red hue shrink in your peripheral...

... Then he heaved a sigh, smothering your mouth with his free hand before speaking, “no it’s not, don’t say things like that, sweetheart… it’s not rape if it’s with your soulmate…”

…

… Is _that _the garbage he fed himself to rationalize torturing you…? 

You whimpered against his hand, tempted to bite him… but you knew that wouldn’t bode well for you if you did.

_There’s no point. _

Eyes watering, you slouched against him, breaths ragged and uneven and heart rate elevated as he continued to tease you. He hummed happily, bones vibrating against you while he periodically nipped at your neck and ear. 

It was _disgusting_… every second of it… 

You hissed and clenched your teeth, _hating _yourself for the way your stomach was tensing. _Despising _the way that familiar pressure built at your core, unintentional shivers cascading along your skin that were, _unfortunately_, not only due to fear. 

Why did it have to feel good…? 

Panting through his hand, you found yourself chasing your orgasm… if only due to the fact that this meant it would be over _quicker_. If you came, he would stop... right? Desperate, you wiggled your hips and ground against his knuckles in a way that made him chuckle. 

You held your breath as you steadily grew closer… and closer…

And then he stopped, drawing his hand up to play with the curls of your pubic mound. 

Confused eyes darting up to his, you blinked away your tears as you shivered against him, releasing the breath you were holding. He said nothing, continuing to hum some foreign tune while watching you with an unnerving intensity. His red hue smoldered in your peripheral and all you could do was sit there, quivering, as your arousal wound down. 

And then he started up again, fingers curling as he used his knuckles to circle your most sensitive spot.

You whimpered, sweat beading on your forehead and face flushed as that feeling again ramped up in your core. _Please… just finish… why is he dragging it out..? _

And as though reading your mind, Sans rumbled against your ear, “you kept me deprived for so long… i’m gonna make it last…”

His statement was punctuated by the stroke of his tongue up your neck, followed by a nip at your earlobe. 

You didn’t at all care for the way he began to coo words of ‘love’ as you again neared orgasm, nor the way his hand left your mouth to snake up your shirt and fondle your chest. But you gritted through it, tensing and quaking, breaths catching in your throat… that fire burning between your legs growing unbearable…

And when it hit… it felt as though a piece of you shattered inside.

You felt a dull pain in your amputated leg as your mind blanked out and body spasmed, the chain locked around your throat rattling as wave after wave of orgasm hitting you. 

Specks of black continued to dance in your field of view when your vision cleared, that haunting red still lingering in your peripheral. Your heart thudded so loudly that you struggled to hear him chuckle as he pressed his teeth against your sweat-streaked temple.

“never gets old… i could watch ya do that all day, every day, precious… just perfect…” 

Your face burned hotter at his reverring remark, but you were unable to do anything more than lay slack against his ribcage, chest rising and falling rapidly as you panted.

It’s not like you could run away or fight back...

It was better to just let it happen. If he stayed happy… then things might improve for you… 

<strike>It would be easier.</strike>

He gave your left breast a squeeze that made you flinch before withdrawing his hands, and you quite nearly lost the contents of your already roiling stomach when he licked the remainder of your juices from his fingers. He again hugged you, stroking his hands up and down your arms while nuzzling your head.

“ready to help me out now?” 

His husky voice slithered into your ears and you froze, eyes darting to his pelvis only to spot the unmistakable bulge forming beneath his shorts… and you rapidly shook your head.

He couldn’t… there’s no way he could possibly expect you to… not with your current condition… 

“mmm… don’t worry, sweetheart… m’ not asking for much this time.”

You blinked away your tears before clenching your eyes shut and looking away, shuddering when you heard him fiddle with his shorts followed by the slick sound of what you presumed was him stroking himself. You didn’t want to see… you didn’t want to look at _it… _

... But fortunately… he didn’t seem to care, merely chuckling before beginning to hum to himself as he snatched your hand.

A shiver of disgust found you when you felt your palm wrapped around something slick and warm, his fingers clasping over yours. 

And as he began to stroke himself with your hand… you found yourself thanking every god in the heavens that he wasn’t forcing you to _watch _as well. It was an odd mercy… him allowing you to disassociate yourself from the situation… him having the _sense _to realize that forcing you to do much more than this was bad for your health.

_<strike>Maybe he isn’t completely evil</strike>..._

<strike> _He says he’s doing this because he loves me..._ </strike>

You jolted, overcome with the urge to slap yourself.

_What are you _ ** _thinking? _ ** _Of course he’s evil! He’s absolutely _ ** _insane_**_**!** _

_He doesn’t love me, he doesn’t give a _ ** _shit _ ** _about me… he kidnapped me, he cut off my leg, he’s raping me _ ** _right now_**_. _

_He doesn’t love me._

_He doesn’t love me._

You repeated the mantra in your head as though to punish yourself for thinking those asinine thoughts. How could you possibly ever think that he actually _cared _about you? 

“_stars_… that’s right… keep goin’ precious, i’m almost there.”

Sans’ lust-ridden voice brought you back to reality, reminding you that he was still _here _and using your hand to satisfy himself. A shudder ran down your spine when you felt his cock twitch. He groaned, bones rattling audibly, followed a glob of gelatinous liquid being expelled into your palm.

_It’s… it’s hot... _

Daring to open your eyes, you trembled when you spotted the blue semen seeping through the cracks of your fingers and dripping onto the floor. A strangled noise slipped past your lips, and in a fit of panic you wiped your hand on the blankets; uncaring if it resulted in punishment.

Sans righted his shorts and red filled your gaze as he returned to crouching in front of you. He grasped your chin and tilted your head up, pupils shrinking into slits as he stared at you. 

“... heh... you act like i’m the most disgusting thing in the world.”

Your brows twitched. _You’re not wrong, _you thought sardonically.

Once upon a time you would have voiced those thoughts… but you didn’t dare risk further torture… 

He stroked a thumb across your lips. “... do you wanna know what i saw during our little soul tryst?” 

You swallowed, preparing to respond, but Sans didn’t give you the chance.

“some real interesting things, that’s for sure… mmm, and i know for a fact that you don’t mind doing stuff like this.” 

Your eyes widened, heart rate steadily increasing. _Wha…? _

His grin twitched around the edges, growing tense…

“you seemed to really enjoy it in fact.” 

His red hue seemed to shrink with each word, narrowing into a quivering speck. 

“N-no, Sans I-I-” 

The way his claws dug into your cheeks cut you off, a small squeak escaping you.

“wouldya like being with me more if i was **_him_**_?” _

_Him…? _

…

Sans chuckled darkly, other hand moving to push your overgrown bangs back. “you still love him, don’tcha?” It was a question, but it was phrased more as a statement. Jaw rigid, he snarled, “you still love **_him _**when you should love **_me.”_**

_... _

_… Jake… _

_… _He was talking about Jake…

He saw memories of you and Jake together… 

_No... _

You pushed your back against the wall, breaths leaving you jaggedly, cowering as you anticipated Sans to take his jealousy out on you.

But instead, he pulled back and scratched his skull before huffing. “... i just don’t _get it _… i also saw that he treated you like complete shit. _he _dumped you for some other chick… _i _would never leave you like that. you’re so important to me, sweetheart, _you’re _the only one i ever wanna be with… why don’t you _see _that we’re meant to be together as soulmates?”

With each passing word, the heaviness of the air seemed to increase with the power of his magic, the audible rattle of his bones assaulting your eardrums. A part of you wanted to scream at him for having the audacity to claim he treated you well considering he _amputated your leg_… but in this hell, you could only dream of being able to speak your mind without repercussions.

Red hue so shrunken that it almost disappeared in its socket, he growled, “...maybe i should remove him from the picture. maybe _that _will help you **_understand._**_”_

Heart thudding, your blood ran cold when you realized what Sans was implying, and in desperation to placate him you grabbed hold of his skull and gingerly cupped his jaw.

Sans stilled, red light re-dilating as he stared into your eyes and bony lids relaxing to hang low over his sockets. His hands left your face to rest atop your own hands, pushing on them like he was trying to meld them into his bones while his jaw sunk deeper into their cradle.

“Please _don’t_, I don’t feel anything for him anymore! He was a jerk, I realize that now - I’m over him!” Your words came out in a jumbled hurry and you paused, adding on after a moment of hesitation, “... I love _you_.” 

The phrase felt like caustic acid on your tongue… but you weren’t about to let another person die for you. 

Sans’ breath hitched… and you exhaled a sigh of relief…

…Only to yelp when he ripped your hands from his face and shoved you against the wall, his red hue disappearing in a sea of black.

“**_i don’t believe you.”_**

And without another word, he vanished. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: While I am loosely following Horrortale canon, this fic is still taking its own route since the Horrortale comic is not complete and will not be anytime soon, and as such it is not possible to follow what canonically happens due to this story be set after. Obviously this assumes a bad ending since Aliza, Undyne and Alphys are all dead. 
> 
> Anyways! Thanks so much for reading! I apologize for the slower chapter... but things have to slow down a lil before we ramp up for the finale. <3 you all!


	22. Sans: Distractions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suppose I'll put the warnings at the end for this chapter to avoid spoilers. But don't forget to check them if you feel anything might bother you!

When he first recognized you as his soulmate, Sans had wasted no time in fantasizing of all the different ways he wanted to get close to you; as was normal for any monster who had found their soulmate for the first time.

Being physically intimate was of course important. Every monster craved physical intimacy, especially when it came to their soulmate. Granted, this never stopped monsters from fooling around with each other prior to finding their true soulmate - not that Sans approved of this.

But soul mating… that was an entirely different deal. While any monster could mate souls, just like any monster could bond souls, in general, soul mating was only desired with one’s soulmate. To get a taste of what it would feel like to be bonded… to truly _ feel _the emotions and memories of the other person. It was something far more personal than simple physical intimacy, and as such it was rare for monsters that were not soulmates to want it with one another. 

Deep down, Sans knew that he would see memories that he wouldn’t like when he mated souls with you. It was no secret that your past was not one he was a fan of. 

Perhaps it would have been better if he never saw it.

…

No...

It was his _ right _ to see your past. He _ deserved _to be intimate with you: mind, body and soul. 

If you were a good mate, you would have waited for him. You would have never been intimate with one who was not your true soulmate. 

Sans rationalized that he was an exception to this… he was older than you - he had to wait longer, not to mention being stuck in the Underground… it was only natural that he would explore with others first. And despite all that, Sans felt guilty about it now that he had you. He wished he had held off for you.

But you… you were still young.

You should have waited. 

Even so... Sans could forgive you - mistakes happen... except for the fact that you **_wouldn’t stop thinking about this guy. _ **

Sans had told himself that he wouldn’t kill again…

… But this was a _ special case. _

You would never want to be with him as long as your ex-boyfriend was still in the picture.

Your ex-boyfriend still being alive was why you didn’t love him.

Your ex-boyfriend was why you ran from him. 

Your ex-boyfriend was why Sans was forced to cut off your leg.

It was all **_his _**fault. 

** _He _ ** made Sans hurt his soulmate… ** _he _ **had been standing in the way of true love…

Sans had wasted so much time blaming _you _for not loving him back and fooling around with others before him… but the more he pondered, he realized… you were innocent… it was this other awful human pulling you away from him. 

** _His fault. _ **

Sans spent days following him, stalking his Facebook… learning his ticks and habits. It was an absolutely miserable couple of days. Time he could be spending with you _ wasted _on this trashbag of a human.

But it was necessary.

And... today was the day. 

Sans spotted the human leaving his usual job for the day, walking to the usual bus stop that he took to get home. He worked as a construction worker Sans had learned and like you, he did not appear to own a car and instead relied on community transit. 

Jake… was that his name…? Or maybe it was John. Or Jack... or perhaps Jim.

Did it even matter?

In a few hours, he wouldn’t exist anymore. Sans would make _ sure _of that. 

Sans stalked from afar as the human took his normal route to the bus stop. And Sans wasn’t certain if this human was just incredibly dense or had no survival instincts to begin with, but he seemed none the wiser to being watched and followed.

In fact, not once had he even looked in Sans’ direction. Which was completely fine by Sans, anything that resulted in him having to put in less work was preferred.

The bus stop was only a few blocks away from his place of work, and he took a seat on the bench as he waited for the next bus to arrive. His face was shoved in his phone all the while, texting away a storm while his earbuds boomed music that Sans could hear from his spot yards away next to the building. 

Yep, this would be easy. Had this human ended up in the Underground, Sans was certain that he wouldn’t survive even one of Papyrus’ puzzles. He seemed too hopeless to even use the freebies properly. 

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Sans waited at the bus stop with him. Sans received a few odd looks from _ other _humans there… but this Jake still had yet to even spare a glance towards him.

Sans’ bones rattled as he imagined how the scenario would play out. There were so many ways he would love to end this human’s life…

The visions from the soul mating came pouring back, invading his mind… where you were so content and happy and _ loving _towards this man – all the things that he desired from you… 

His soul twisted in envy and he ground his teeth together. 

Sans had managed to placate himself on this subject for so long with the reassurance that you no longer were dating this man, and that Sans had claimed you as _his _mate... but your rejection kept gnawing and _gnawing... _and now he wanted nothing more than to end this man’s life in the most painful way possible. This human was a pest, a _ distraction. _

In the days of watching the human, Sans had come to learn that your ex was exactly what constituted a stereotypically attractive human male. Tall, toned, tanned skin, dark hair… it was always thosetypes of human males that appeared in commercials or movies.

There was a time when Sans considered himself physically attractive by monster standards… but… why would anyone look in his direction now? Why would anyone be interested in a guy that had a giant fucking hole in his head?

But when it comes to soulmates… with soulmates, physical attraction was _ always _automatic. It didn’t matter the appearance of either party… the soul’s will alone was always enough…

… At least that’s what the books always said…

So why…? Why weren’t you attracted to him…?

...

Seeing your ex-boyfriend in the flesh… it almost made him feel self-conscious.

… If he looked like _ that _would you have been more receptive to his advances…?

…

...

Shaking his head, Sans grabbed hold of his socket and gave it a harsh tug, relishing in the pain that ripped through his skull. 

It didn’t matter if you found him attractive or not anymore. It didn’t matter if this human male was better looking than him… you were _ his _ soulmate… his, his, _ his. _He marked you, _ he _mated souls with you… and eventually, he would bond your soul permanently with his.

And once this human was _ gone… _you would grow to love him back, just as fate intended.

There would be no more distractions. 

The bus arrived and Sans boarded it with Jake, moving to sit in the back a fair distance away from him. An elderly woman in the seat adjacent to his shot him a nasty look and muttered something unintelligible under her breath. Sans had no doubt it was somethingracist and while it made his bones rattle, he was far too focused on the task at hand to pay much mind to it.

It felt like an eternity of waiting on the bus, smothered by the scent of disgusting humans, old cigarette smoke and the humid feeling of sweat. But eventually, Jake disembarked and Sans tailed him until he arrived at a small duplex on the edge of town.

This must be where he lived.

Sans stopped at the edge of the yard and waited. The moment Jake pushed the door open, Sans shortcutted behind him and shoved him inside the house.

“What the fu-“ the human tried to shout but was cut off as Sans tossed him to the ground.

Shutting the door, Sans’ pupils trailed around the house before settling on the wide-eyed male in front of him.

Jake scrambled to his feet and shifted his stance as though ready to fight. “The hell is your problem man? Get out of my house!” 

Sans, undaunted, leaned against the closed door. “anyone else live here?”

Sans realized now that he had made an error in his judgment, having forgotten to check if Jake had roommates before pouncing. He didn’t particularly care if others had to die as a result, but it would be _ much _more difficult to cover up.

However, Jake merely glared at Sans before advancing a step forward. “Listen dude, if you don’t leave right now I’m gonna-“

Magic sparking to life, Sans gripped Jake with it and forced him to his knees. “whatever pal, you don’t gotta answer.” Sans shrugged before beginning to stalk circles around the immobilized human. “we’ll just make this quick, even though i’d _ love _ to see you _ suffer. _”

Jake’s body strained as he tried to fight the magical bonds, the color draining from his face. “W-what? W-why? What did I ever do to you? _ Who _are you?!” he wheezed out, “do you want money? I’ll give you money, I don’t have much but take whatever you want!”

Sans stopped in front of the human, leveling his gaze with his. His ruby hue danced amidst the spark of blue magic streaming from his socket. “don’t want your money. only your life.” Sans let out a huff of air. “you never treated her properly anyways… you _ deserve _what’s comin’ to ya.”

“Wha…?” Jake’s brows crinkled. “Who’s _ her_?” 

Sans merely grinned.

“Wait... you can’t be talking about…” Jake exhaled a shaky breath. “Are you a hitman? Did my ex hire you to kill me?”

Sans laughed. “hitman? that’s a good one. nah, i’m gonna kill you because i _ want _ to.” His gaze darkened. “you’re _ ruining _her life.”

“Look, man… monster-dude, I haven’t spoken to her in over four months. I blocked her on everything. If this is because you think I’m gonna try to take her back - I’m not I promise! I’ve moved on!” Jake stammered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. “If you’re not a hitman, then who are you? What do you want with me…? Are you and her… together?”

“that’s a lie, saw ya message her on facebook not too long ago… hehe, name's sans and yeah, we’re together.” Sans rolled his shoulders into a shrug. “well, doesn’t matter what you say... still gonna kill you - so let’s just get it over with, yeah?”

“W-wait, no please don’t.” Jake was pleading now, voice cracking like a frail pan of glass. “Just let me go, I won’t say a word about this I promise! I won’t message her again! I j-just wanted to apologize to her for being an ass… that’s all... ”

“heh… that sounds like a lie too.”

Jake let out another shaky exhale. “Okay, okay, I get it. You think she’s going to leave you for me, but I promise I won’t let that happen. I don’t want her anymore. Please dude, don’t do this, I have a family. I get it - misunderstandings happen, so I won’t speak a word about this to anyone if you just let me off.”

Sans eyed him, grin widening as he savored the sheer look of desperation on his face. 

Oh, how he’d waited for this moment for so long.

“too bad,” was all he said before lifting Jake with magic and dragging him into the bedroom.

Strangled noises and wheezes escaped Jake’s mouth, and Sans could tell that he was trying to scream… but there’s no way he would be able to. Not with Sans' magic constricting him.

Sans got to work on stripping the bed and tying the sheets together. He periodically glanced over at the human, chuckling at the way he trembled and stared at Sans with widened eyes, gasping for air all the while.

Once finished attaching the sheets, Sans tied them to the ceiling fan to form a noose. He yanked on it once to ensure the fan was strong enough to hold.

And it was. Perfect.

But it almost seemed too easy. 

Sans stalked over to Jake, crouching down next to him and easing up on the grip of his magic to allow him to speak. “... so, since you seem to love to run your mouth, tell me a little bit about your relationship with her… and don’t lie, i’ll know… better not scream either.” 

Jake wheezed a few times to catch his breath, the color returning to his complexion just slightly. “H-her? … Right… right… her…” His voice came out as a rasp and it was clear he was struggling to will his mouth to move. “We… we went High School together and I always thought she was cool, even though she was quiet… I don’t know, I just wanted to get to know her and then we started dating. But I guess we just grew apart after graduation… I think moving in together was the problem…” 

“why?”

“She... was always nagging me about shit. was never okay with me going out to see my friends… I-I think it was because she didn’t have that many.” Jake swallowed before taking a deep, shaky breath. “L-listen… I tried really hard to cut ties when we broke up, but she was just so insistent on staying friends… she was clingy, messaged me constantly…”

“don’t see what’s so special about you to make her cling to you,” Sans huffed out with a scoff. “you’re pathetic.”

Why did you like _ this guy _ but not Sans…? Sans _ loved _you… you clinging to him like Jake described sounded like a dream come true. 

“I… I guess I am…” Jake blinked. “I _ wanted _ to stop contact with her… but I felt guilty… she came to me for help awhile back… and I shut her down. I just… wanted to check in and make sure she was alright and… apologize… I guess… but I promise I won’t message her again if you don’t want me to! I’m not _ trying _to ruin her life.”

“... so what did she want your help with…?”

“Um… she, um, she said she had a _ stalker _issue…” Jake’s voice was small, as though he had regretted what he said the moment the words left his mouth.

“heh, well howabout that.” Sans flashed Jake a grin. He supposed stalking would accurately describe what he did back then… but he didn’t regret it. He had every right to follow you like he did. 

Jake’s mouth went slack, eyes widening in realization… and Sans chuckled as he tightened up the hold of his magic, again inhibiting the human from speaking as he felt him try to fight against the magical bonds. 

“ya know… i thought about making this quick and painless…” Sans’ grin stretched and tightened, hints of crimson reflecting off of Jake’s paled face. “...but not so sure you deserve that.” 

Pressing his claws to Jake’s chest, Sans yanked his soul from his body with a single motion. The human let out a strangled noise, but Sans didn’t care… he wasn’t about to be _ gentle _ \- this human wasn’t you. 

The red heart floated a foot from Jake’s body, rapid waves rolling over its surface as it emitted a stuttering pulse. 

And all Sans could think of was how _ ugly _it looked compared to your soul. It was vile and repulsive, just like its owner. 

Sans flashed Jake a conspiring look. “i would say this won’t hurt a bit… but, heh, that won’t be true at all.” 

His movements slow and taunting, Sans began to dig his claws into Jake’s soul…piercing the red heart with ease and etching small holes into its center.

The response was immediate - the heart quivering violently in response, its owner near-convulsing and making strangled, gargled noises. No doubt he would be _ screaming _had it not been for Sans’ magic smothering him. 

Minutes passed… and the human had gone near-catatonic, eyes glazed over with quivering pupils, his soul only managing weak flutters.

Sans’ own soul hopped with glee at the sight, and he found himself wishing that he could have brought you along to witness this in person. 

But that would have been too risky.

_ oh well. _

_ may as well get this over with. _

Sans shoved Jake’s soul back into his body and with a gasp, he jolted back to reality. 

“still with me pal?” Sans inquired as he rose to his full height.

Jake’s only response was to stare vacantly, perhaps only half aware. Sans wasn’t surprised, this torture method often resulted in brain damage… it was one of Undyne’s favorites and possibly the only good idea that came from that bitch. 

Sans flashed Jake a grin before levitating him towards the make-shift noose and fastening it around his neck. Eyeing him, Sans slid a skeletal hand inside his pocket and withdrew his phone. “tell ya what human… guess i can make a deal with you: tell me your password and i’ll let you go.”

Sans waved the phone in front of the human’s face for emphasis... but all he did was loll his head to the side, forcing Sans to slap him to get his attention. “hey, final chance buddy… think of this as your one and only freebie.”

“... I-it’s…123...456…” The numbers were slurred and strung together, but audible… Jake’s head again rolling and falling slack.

Sans scoffed. “what? really?” He tried the code, finding that it was indeed correct. “figures you’d be that simpleminded.”

“Can I… gooo?” Jake slurred. 

Sans paused, before chuckling. “nah, i lied about that.”

With a snap of his fingers, Sans released the hold of his magic.

“see ya, pal.”

Jake fell, the noose constricting like a vice around his neck. He sputtered and gasped for air, hands clawing at the noose, eyes widened and pleading.

But Sans remained motionless, merely watching with a tight grin as the human’s struggles gradually slowed... and stopped, the life leaving his eyes.

His body hung like a ragdoll, lifeless, swaying slowly back and forth from the fan, the ceiling creaking with each movement. His face was paled, mouth lolled open and slack, his dead eyes dull and unmoving. 

_ heh… so much for those good looks now. _

Sans, satisfied, took a moment to unlock Jake’s phone and tab over to his Facebook page. He posted a note on Jake’s wall that alluded to a possible suicide attempt and then deposited the phone back into Jake’s pocket. He then withdrew his own phone and snapped several photos of the scene.

Taking one more appeased glance at the lifeless body dangling helplessly from the ceiling, Sans checked the house for any form of evidence that could implicate him of murder. Satisfied that he found nothing, he faded into the void to return home. 

\----------------------

You flinched as Sans dropped the heavy bucket next to you, soapy water sloshing out onto the concrete ground. Your eyes darted between him and the bucket before settling firmly on him. 

“You… is everything okay…?” 

There was a quiver to your lips as you spoke the quiet question. You reset your jaw, mouth moving as though you were chewing on your tongue. 

Sans smiled. “everything’s great.” He crouched next to you and stroked a finger down your cheek, noting with glee that you offered no resistance. “how’s your day been, sweetheart?” 

“... Fine…” Was all you said before adding on after a pause. “... Stomach is a little upset I think from the food yesterday… it hurts…” 

Sans’ pupils shifted to your midsection before resting on the empty box of take out food sitting off to the side. Sighing, he brought his hand down to stroke your abdomen. “sorry bout’ that sweetheart, i’ll bring ya some medicine later. don’t have any at home since, heh, i don’t got a stomach… but i’ll swing by the store just for you.”

He chuckled at the way you bit your lip. _ so cute. _ “don’t forget to tell me if you need something, i wanna make sure you stay nice and cozy here.”

You pursed your lips in response, but ultimately said nothing. 

Silence graced between you and him for a long while, with Sans allowing himself to savor the moment. Petting you, stroking you… special time with his soulmate. 

He could never get enough of how _ soft _your skin felt against his bones. Even mere contact with you was enough to bring a shiver to his soul; enough to make his head stop throbbing just for a moment. 

You smelled bad though. Not that it bothered Sans much, in fact, he loved your natural musk. But he knew that you preferred to stay clean. 

Rocking back on his heels, Sans pulled the bucket of soapy water closer.

You exhaled a shaky sigh as you resituated yourself before reaching for it.

Sans grabbed your wrist, making you gasp, eyes darting to him and turning to saucers. “ah, ah.” He waggled his finger at you. 

“But I thought…” You furrowed your brows and shook your head. “... Why not?” 

He smiled. “i’m gonna do it today.”

You took a sharp intake of breath, a visible shiver rolling across your skin as you blinked rapidly, your eyes growing just the slightest bit wet and a flush decorating your cheeks. 

Sans pushed a strand of your overgrown bangs behind your ear. “don’t worry, i’ll do a good job… heh, i’ve watched ya do this enough to know how you like it.” 

Indeed, typically Sans let you wash yourself. He had done it once for you, shortly after he had… taken the _ necessary _precautions to ensure you wouldn’t leave… and you had complained that he hadn’t done it well enough and insisted on doing it yourself.

But Sans had a hunch it was because you didn’t want him to touch you. 

That changed today.

Your ex was gone… the _ distraction _was gone... you would love only Sans now. 

He would take care of you, as any good mate should. 

You remained stiff and still as Sans peeled your clothes off. It was a stark difference to how you had fought him tooth and nail the very first time he had done this… you even assisted him with removing your shirt by holding your arms up - although due to the metal shackles around your neck, he was only able to slide it up the chain. 

Still, you complied.

Progress…

One step closer to bonding… 

Earlier, Sans had felt excited for the bomb he was about ready to drop on you, his bones rattling at the sheer eagerness of informing you of his romantic rival’s death. 

But maybe he shouldn’t…? 

Would it upset you more if he told you? Would it push you further away...? 

...

Maybe killing the ex-boyfriend was unnecessary… 

<strike>Maybe taking your leg was unnecessary</strike>…

You were in _ pain. _He despised seeing you in pain, even just watching you as you were now sent daggers through his soul. 

<strike>Maybe it wasn’t the ex-boyfriend’s fault</strike>…

<strike> Was _ he _ </strike> <strike>making you hate him</strike>…?

_ no, no… _

He did nothing wrong. 

It was necessary.

You and him would never be able to be happy so long as you had an ex-lover that _ lived,_ nor if he allowed you a means to _ leave him. _

As your soulmate, Sans had an obligation to teach you your soul’s desire… even if you had to experience some hardships to get there. 

It was _ all _necessary. 

The greatest payoffs always required a little pain. You might be sad for a time after learning what Sans had done… but he knew you would be happy eventually. 

Humming to himself, Sans grabbed the sponge that had been soaking in the water and wrung it out before beginning to scrub your body. He started with your legs first, feeling magic shift in his pelvis at the sheer sight of the suds forming on your smooth skin. But he was careful to be gentle with your stump.

“netflix just released a killer new series, was thinking we could watch it together since we finished that other show you liked. whaddya say?” He made idle conversation as he stroked the sponge up your thighs and moved to your abdomen.

You hugged your arms to your chest, shuffling a little. “... Sure… what’s it about?”

He told you, you chewing on your lip the entire time, but your eyes seemed to light up a bit as he explained the plot. You seemed interested. 

Progress. 

“lift your arms,” he ordered as he moved to your chest. 

After a moment of hesitation, you complied. But of course, not without a protesting comment. “I-I can do it myself!”

Sans ignored you as he scrubbed your underarms, chuckling when you recoiled at the action. “always forget that you’re a bit ticklish… it’s pretty cute. makes me want to do it on purpose, heh.” 

Your cheeks turned red and you shivered, rattling the chain locked to your neck. “Please don’t do that… _please. _My, uh… uh, nevermind…” 

Sans paused and locked eyes with you. “your what? finish what you were gonna say, sweetheart.” 

“I don’t, uh… I don’t want to…” 

You dropped your hands to your lap and proceeded to stare at them as you wound them together. 

Dropping the sponge, Sans gripped your chin and forced you to look at him, his features growing tense. “**_tell me.”_ **

A stifled whimper escaped you and you squeaked out a meek, “Ok...” 

Sans released your chin and moved to sit cross-legged in front of you, bones still rigid as he waited. He had a hunch what it was though… 

… Good thing that problem was taken care of. 

“My… my ex used to do that to me because he thought it was funny and I hated it. He never listened when I told him to stop...” 

_ there it is. _

“But it’s okay! I’m over it now, he’s no longer in my life.” 

Sans cradled his jaw in his hand, bony fingers winding through his socket as he eyed you. “he sounds like a real jerk. guess it’s a good thing you got me instead now. i promise i won’t tickle you if ya don’t want me too.”

He winked at you, breath whistling through his teeth as he chuckled lightly. 

_ may as well. _

Taking a moment to right your shirt and return your pants to your body, Sans shifted to sit next to you against the wall. 

“got somethin’ to show ya sweetheart… i know i haven’t been spending as much time with you over the past couple weeks… but it’s been for a good reason…”

Your brows crinkled as you flashed him a confused look… before your eyes widened. 

“No… you didn’t…” you choked out through a sniffle. “Please tell me you didn’t…” 

“heh…”

Shoving his hand in his pocket, Sans pulled out his phone and opened it up to the photos he had taken of Jake’s corpse. 

“sorry to say honey, but i did… it was _ necessary _ for us to be together.” He grinned before holding out the phone to you. “he won’t come between us ever again.”

He wasn’t prepared for how loudly you screamed. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warnings: ** Murder, non-graphic torture, non-consensual touching.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading as always! <3 you all and hope you have a fantastic day/evening/morning!


	23. Hindsight

“No… why… why... why did you do that…? I thought I was being _ good _...” you blabbered out as your eyes grew wet, snot occluding your nostrils. “Please tell me it’s not real… please tell me you d-didn’t actually…” 

All Sans did was stare at you, red hue bright as he re-pocketed his phone. 

... Then he let out an indignant huff. “don’t see why it’s such a big deal to you. he hated you, you were nothing but trash to him. you should have heard all the things he said about you before he died… called you a bitch, cunt… every name in the book. said that he wished he’d never met you.” 

Your cheeks glistened as tears streaked down them, a stifled wail squeaking past your constricted throat. Your chest felt tight… _ strangled _ … breathing near impossible, as though Sans was torturing you with his magic. But there was no denseness of magic in the air… no cyan wisps circling his ruby eye… it was just… _ you… _

Another person died because of you.

_ Another person died because of _ ** _you. _ **

...

...

Did Jake really say those things about you…? 

Chills prickled your neck as Sans slid a hand around your shoulders, pulling you tight to his chest. A small sigh escaping him, he nuzzled the top of your head. “but you’re none of those things to me… to me, you’re perfect.”

“you’re beautiful, smart…” He stroked down your arms, inhaling deeply.

“... my precious soulmate…” 

_ Soulmates… _

You let out a wheezing sniffle. “I could have been those things without you killing him…” 

Sans made a clicking sound and pulled away, shaking his head. “don’t believe that, sweetheart. and i know you don’t either. i saw the visions… you still cared for him.”

“the only way for us to be happy was to remove him as an option. heh, think of it as an early birthday present from me to you.” 

He winked and you were overcome with the urge to vomit, contrasting harshly with your pounding head and aching leg. The ring on your finger felt heavier than ever, the mark on your shoulder seeming to sear your skin like molten lava.

_ Why… why… _

You clutched at his coat as you cried, finding mild comfort in the fact that _ someone _was holding you, even if that someone was… was…

Was...

…

…

What were you _ doing, _ cozying up to a ** _murderer?_ **

In a knee jerk reaction, you tried to pull away.

But Sans held you tight, skeletal hand finding the back of your head and pushing it against his ribcage, hushing you as he threaded his fingers through your hair.

Your chest heaved and you stopped struggling.

_ If I give him what he wants, he won't hurt me...  
_

_ I’m not getting out of here anyways. _

_ Giving in is easier… safer... _

No… no…

You couldn’t just give up… 

… But what was the point of fighting...? All it got you was a severed leg and innocents murdered.

If you had… just agreed to be with Sans from the very beginning, then maybe Alyssa would still be alive. 

If you had proven to him that you had eyes only for him… then maybe he wouldn’t have seen it as necessary to murder Jake… 

But hindsight is twenty-twenty. And now those people were _ gone _because of you.

** It was your fault. **

No one missed you, no one cared about you... 

…. <strike>Except for Sans</strike>.

...

…

Resisting wasn’t worth it… 

_ It’s exhausting. _

Laying slack against his chest, you sobbed... and sobbed... and sobbed...

Sans made a humming sound. “you know what else i admire about you, sweetheart? how you mourn for someone that treated you so poorly. you’re a kind person… heh, i feel so lucky to have someone like that as my soulmate.”

You felt his claws drum against your arms. 

“but now it can just be us… no one else will come between us, and as long as you devote yourself to me… no one else will get hurt…”

Your throat tightened and a stifled croak escaped you. So he confirmed it... this is how it is…

You thought of the _ others _in your life that remained… Jingles, Cameron, Brian, old coworkers and distant family members, even the anonymous men you sold panties to… would Sans really kill again…?

_ Of course he would. Once a killer always a killer. _

His bony fingers were hard on your back as he rubbed it, keeping you firm against his chest while he continued to speak in a soft tone, “i know you’ve been struggling to adjust… i understand, i had a tough time gettin' over how you used to sell yourself - but i managed… i know you can too, sweetheart.”

You sniffled, gut clenching. In the back of your mind, you were angered and disturbed by Sans speaking about kidnapping you as though it was just a minor relationship hump to overcome, like arguing over which side of the bed to sleep on. 

But you couldn't bring yourself to care...

His hands moved to your head, stroking it and combing through your hair. “deep down, you have to know this is right… just let your mind _ feel _ your soul… _ feel me _… i know you can do it. i believe in you, honey.”

A saltiness stained your lips as you licked them, the front of Sans’ blue coat now drenched in your tears. You shivered when you felt the tips of his claws glide along your jawline, tilting it upwards. Red filled your gaze as you locked eyes with him. 

Flashing you a soft smile, he stooped down and kissed you. Just a chaste one, his teeth gentle and smooth as they rubbed against your lips… as though trying to encourage you to respond. 

And, you knew you didn’t mean it, you still _ hated _him. But you didn’t have energy to fight anymore… so, you gave him what you knew he wanted and relaxed into the kiss. 

Memories surfaced from the _ last time _ you had willingly done this… done with the hope of escape, survival, _ freedom _… but this time… this time, there was none of that…

You couldn’t change the past. You couldn’t resurrect the people who had already died because of you… 

… But you _ could _ be protect those that remained. By keeping _ him _happy. 

\--------

  
  


“How old are you…?” 

You didn’t know why the question came out of your mouth or why you were even bothering to speak to him without being spoken to in the first place. He deserved _ nothing _from you after all. 

It couldn’t have been more than a few weeks since he murdered Jake and you had promised yourself that even if you behaved like he wanted, you wouldn’t give more than was necessary. 

But as he puttered around the room, cleaning up for what felt like the first time in ages including _ finally _ removing the Christmas tree, it just… slipped out…

Perhaps you were just desperate for someone to talk to. 

Sans turned to look at you, ruby hue quivering around the edges. A small grin rose to his face. “why do you ask, sweetheart?”

“I just…” You fiddled with your hands and stared at your lap. “I don’t know… I guess it just feels like I know nothing about you. You say we’re meant to be together… but I don’t even know simple things about you, like your age.”

Sans strolled over and slid down the wall so that he was sitting next to you. “heh... i told ya the full history of the underground, even how it all went to shit. you’re the first human on the surface i’ve told about that. i think you know plenty bout’ me, sweetheart.”

He held your hand, coarse thumb stroking over your fingers, and you swallowed as you recalled the chilling events that had supposedly occurred in the Underground. Something you would rather forget about altogether.

Viewing monsters in a non-human eating light was _much_ simpler. 

You shook your head. Best not to think about it.

“Yeah, you told me that, but even with that… I don’t know what happened in the underground before everyone started… starving…" You wet your dried lips before continuing, "I-I just thought it was okay to ask since, like you said before... soulmates are supposed to know everything about each other...”

Sans clicked his teeth. “well, _ tibia _honest sweetie… those times are a bit hazy to me.” His grin tensed and he traced a clawed finger along the ridges of his cracked skull. “suppose having a big ol’ hole in your head messes with your memory.”

He shifted awkwardly, as though speaking of this was discomforting to him. “there’s a reason i never told ya my age… i read that humans can be a bit turned off by age gaps when it came to relationships and monsters age differently than humans, so… heh… figured it was best to keep it a secret.” He took a deep breath, his red hue momentarily shrinking before re-dilating to normal size. "but you're right, we're soulmates so you deserve to know... hehe, thanks for keepin' me in line, sweetheart."

“... Monsters age differently? How?” 

Sans hummed thoughtfully. “hmm, i suppose the closest parallel would be what you humans call ‘dog years’... for example, even though dogs don’t live as long as humans, you humans like to compare their age to human lifespans… what was it? seven human years for every one dog year…?”

“Y-yeah…”

“welp, it’s kinda like that with monsters and humans. monsters in general have longer lifespans than humans, but our various life stages are also prolonged.”

You furrowed your brows. So if monsters lived longer than humans... then how old was Sans…? 

Sans chuckled, the noise coming out forced. “... guess i’ll just rip the bandaid off - i’m twice your age… but by monster years i’m still a young adult just like you. and were i human, i’d be around your age… well maybe a few years older.” 

“Oh...”

If this was a consensual relationship, Sans’ age might have bothered you… but there was nothing to distinguish considering your… _ situation. _It didn’t matter his age or species… the only thing that mattered was that this was being forced on you, and you were too helpless to escape it. 

... However… the more you thought about it… the more it didn’t make sense…

“D-don’t take this the wrong way,” you squeaked out, an involuntary flinch jolting you as you found yourself tempted to backpedal. “But if monsters have such different lifespans from humans… why would a monster have a human soulmate…?” 

“talking about us, sweetheart?” 

At your stiff nod, Sans continued…

“well, honey, it puzzled me at first too… but history shows that humans and monsters have had happy, healthy relationships in the past… like i’ve told ya before, humans and monsters have procreated together, so they hafta of been soulmates. it’s pretty rare for a monster to have children with someone who isn’t their soulmate.” 

A sharp inhale found you, nearly sending you into a coughing fit when you almost inhaled your own spit. You reset your jaw, tongue working around your dry mouth as you tried to find the words: the words to a question where the answer terrified you.

“D-do you want to have children…?” 

You swallowed as you waited for his response, the suspense agonizing.

_ Please say no, please say no, please say no. _

Being forced to be with him was bad enough… but bringing children into the mix…?

No… just no…

You had already had one scare regarding this… you couldn’t handle another. You couldn’t handle it _ actually _happening. 

But you have read of this before, seen the stories on the news… about women who were held captive and raped; those same women sometimes forced to bear their captors' children…

A shiver ran down your spine.

Was that your _ future_? 

Your gaze found Sans’ once more, his ruby eye still trembling yet engorged to the point where it filled its entire socket. 

“... that answer depends on you, honey.” 

His grin softened. “do you want children someday? cause i could go either way.”

Your answer was immediate, speaking so quickly that the words rolled together: “I don’t want children. Never have.”

A lie… but true to some extent… you didn’t want children with _ him._ And if you were destined to spend the rest of your life with him, you _ never _wanted children.

“heh... that’s fine… always thought kids seemed like a lot of work anyways. running around non-stop in their striped shirts, causing trouble.” 

Striped shirts…?

_ Whatever. _

At least you could find some small comfort that bearing children wouldn’t be forced on you. _ Hopefully… _

You prayed that he would never change his mind.

“you don’t have to worry about it accidentally happening. monster procreation is through magic, so i could only get ya pregnant if i intentionally spared the magic for it.” He squeezed your hand tighter, his other arm sliding around your shoulders to pull you into a half-hug. “... it can be just you and me…”

Kissing the side of your head, his pupils seemed to glaze over as he babbled on. “you and me, and my bro too. someday, we’ll be one big happy family. my bro is pretty cool, i think you’ll like him.” 

“C-careful,” you squeaked out as he dragged you closer, the movement sending a jolt of pain up your leg stump. 

“course, my bro prolly has a soulmate out there too. and i think he wants children, so maybe when that happens you can just be the aunt that spoils em.” Sans cast you a look of adoration, making you flinch as he bopped you on the nose. “how’s that sound, sweetheart?” 

“... Sure…”

It was as though Sans had your entire life planned out for you, down to the smallest intricacies. 

And you were simply along for the ride.

In your mind, you rationalized that maybe this was a _ good _thing… having your future determined for you meant that you no longer had to stress about how much money you had, where you were going to live… your relationship status… 

In a way, it was…simpler...?

To live your life without those worries...

It could definitely be worse. And thinking about it this way definitely helped you have a more positive outlook on your situation.

The silver lining of it all. 

A wince found you as your leg began to throb. And Sans must have noticed you grimace, because he wasted no time in commenting on it.

“i’m sorry, sweetie, does it hurt?” 

The hand petting your head trailed south to stroke the rounded end of your leg stump, making it throb even more. 

“S-stop, please don’t do that.”

He retracted his hand and smiled. “well i was thinking… since you’ve been behaving so well lately, maybe i could re-attach it. make it good as new.”

You wasted no time in jumping at this. “Please, _ please _heal it - it hurts so bad. I promise I won’t leave you again, and I could be a much better girlfriend if I could walk, and -”

Sans chuckled, pressing a finger to your lips to cut you off. “i know that, sweetheart…. and i don’t want you to be in pain either. but you realize why i had to do it, right…?” 

You offered a rigid nod.

“tell me why. i need to see that you understand.” 

Biting your lip, you swallowed. _ It’s worth it… if he heals you, it’s worth it. Just give him what he wants. _“You had to do it because I tried to run away, and s-since, uh, since we’re supposed to be together… you… you had to make sure i couldn’t run again… r-right?”

You didn’t think it was possible for Sans’ grin to stretch as wide as it was right now. “that’s right… it was all necessary. i’m glad you’re _ finally _getting it.”

Sans brought a hand to his chin and tapped it, pupils flashing as he eyed you with an odd intensity.

“well, i suppose i could heal it… but that comes with a few more expectations from you, sweetheart. are you ready for that…?” 

“Yes.” Your answer was immediate. What could he possibly expect from you that was worse than _ this _? 

You weren’t prepared for the sheer look of glee that painted his face, eye-lights bright and ruby hue bubbling out of its socket. That grin of his large, yet soft and genuine. He squeezed your hand, making your joints crack under the pressure. 

“_stars _i love you… you’re so perfect sweetheart. okay, okay, let’s go over the expectations then.”

He rocked back, gaze meeting yours. “should be simple… i want all the normal things that come with having a mate. i wanna spend time with you... talk to you and have you talk back - heh, you used to laugh at my jokes and now you don’t… i miss that. won’t you _ humor _ me, sweetheart?” 

“and... i wanna have a sex life like a _ normal _couple… cuz quite frankly, i’m sick of being patient with you. ”

You cringed at this, but he didn’t seem to notice as he rambled on.

“i’m not done though…” His bones rattled and he took a deep breath. “... i wanna work on building our trust so that we can bond soon… have things be as they were meant to. whaddya say…? can you do all that, sweetheart?”

Listening to his demands… they seemed like a lot at first. And you hesitated.

… Was it really worth it…? 

He _ kidnapped _you. _Forced _you to be with him.

Despite your resolve to keep him happy, the last shred of pride in your gut screamed at you to say _ no. _ To never give in to _ him. _

But as the gears in your head turned… you realized that it really wasn’t _ that _much. 

He just wanted a relationship with you. Complete with ‘normal’ relationship things. Of course, the soul aspect was a little foreign, but still… this was nothing. 

_ Nothing… _

If you were going to be trapped here, you would prefer to have two working legs. To maintain _ some _control over your being, even if that was the only control you had. As it was now, you couldn’t even move around without Sans’ assistance.

Not to mention, if you said _ no _… there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t just force you to do those things like he had in the past... 

_ He could make it worse. _

He was giving you an option to improve things for yourself, and you would be a fool to refuse. 

You looked him straight in the eyes… and nodded. 

“Yes.” 

Sans hummed, stroking your fingers with coarse phalanges and squeezing your hand. “gonna hafta be more thorough than that, sweetheart. i need to know you’re as serious about me as i am about you…”

His features tensed. “you’ve lied in the past and that really hurt me. heh, seems like you forget that i have feelings too.”

“... H-how do I prove that I’m not lying…?” 

You gnawed on your lip, having an itching feeling that you were _ not _ going to like the answer.

Sans shifted so that he sat cross-legged facing you, skeletal hands hovering over your chest. He looked at you, an uncanny determination behind his flickering pupils. 

“well... souls never lie…” 

He pressed a single hand against your chest, creating a soft pressure on your ribcage. 

“do you mind, sweetheart?” 

Blinking away tears, you shook your head. “... No… go ahead...” 

It’s not like you had a choice...

_ Please don’t let him do that _ ** _thing _ ** _ again. _

The denseness of magic filled the room as cyan streamed from Sans’ phalanges into your chest, followed by that familiar pull yanking at your ribs. You exhaled shakily as the purple heart was produced, your vision greying just like before. 

You couldn’t help but notice that the pulse of the heart appeared weaker than the last time he had done this. 

Sans cupped the heart, gazing at it as though it was the most beautiful thing he had ever witnessed. A soft tingle graced your body as his magic buzzed around the edges of it.

“guess i fucked up not doing this the last time you lied to me… heh, got a little ahead of myself. but i won’t make the same mistake again.” His pupils returned to you. “and i hope you’re not lying this time, sweetheart. won’t be good for either of us if ya are…”

Your breath hitched, a small quiver finding your lower lip. _ Oh no… he’s going to know… he’s never going to heal me… _

** _He’ll hurt me more. _ **

Heart racing, it took all your might to prevent yourself from breaking down into a sobbing mess. “... How will you know…?” 

“smart question, that’s a good girl.” Sans winked at you. “…i’ll know because i’m your soulmate. no one knows your soul better than me.” 

_ Thanks… that explains a lot, _your brain voiced with bitter sarcasm despite the way tears threatened to form.

There was a pause before Sans spoke again, “so tell me now… show me that you mean it.” 

His pupils quaked in their sockets as he eyed you, constricting into slits as though he was expecting the worst.

And you swallowed, followed by a deep breath as you prepared your response. Your heart thrummed as you stared at your soul… just _ waiting _for it to betray you.

You prepared yourself mentally for the pain to continue… the isolation, the depression… 

…

But you had to try…

_ Breathe. _

_ In. _

_ Out. _

_ You can do this. _

…

You looked at Sans, gaze firm. And despite how bitter they felt on your tongue, the words left your mouth: “I’ll be your mate… I’ll spend time with you, laugh at your jokes… have s-sex with you as much as you want…”

You couldn’t hold back a flinch as your eyes drifted towards your soul, watching for any sort of action.

“... I’ll stay here with you forever…”

And your soul… 

It…

...

It didn’t react.

And Sans grinned from ear to ear. “i knew you meant it this time.”

Skeletal arms wrapped around you as he pulled you into a hug, nuzzling you and peppering your head with toothy kisses. “i promise i’ll always be good to you, sweetheart. i’m gonna heal that nasty little leg injury, i’m gonna make sure you’re happy.”

“I’m gonna be the _ perfect _mate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're winding up to the end of this story... remember to read between the lines. ;)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading as always! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a fantastic day/morning/evening!


	24. Maybe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dropping this chapter a little early as I have a pretty important exam next week and would rather not fret over this chapter in the middle of the week! Hope it’s not too much too soon (it’s a long chapter...) and that you enjoy it! 
> 
> **Warning:** This chapter contains explicit sexual content (dubcon, but could also be viewed as noncon).

_“can you feel that, sweetheart?” _

_You watched as Sans pressed his claws into your leg stump, creating small indents on your skin. Even just hearing that phrase brought back nightmares… but you could confirm that, no, you didn’t feel a thing. Only a dull, tingly pressure as though your leg had fallen asleep. _

_You shook your head. “No.” _

_Monster magic really was something... _

_Taking a deep, shaky breath, your eyes wandered towards the other half of your severed leg that laid next to Sans - freeze wrapped in dry ice and still looking good as new. _

_You were still dubious regarding what you thought about the fact that Sans knew how to preserve human body parts. _

_That one fateful night flashed through your mind on repeat, and you couldn’t help but anticipate that Sans was going to amputate your other leg despite knowing his intention was quite the opposite. _

_In fact, it was a great challenge to choke back a scream when Sans raised his left hand and materialized an axe in a burst of blue magic. Why? Why did he need that? _

_Was this all a trick…? _

_Sans smiled at you, tapping the bunt of the axe against your bare stump. “i trust you remember our agreement, sweetheart…?” _

_You bit your lip… and nodded. “... Be a good mate…” _

_His ruby hue swelled. “well, that’s the gist of it yeah, heh. be good to me and i’ll be good to you - just like how any healthy relationship works.” _

_Again, you nodded. _

_But that didn’t stop his features from tensing, him leaning in close to whisper, “can’t blame me for still having a tough time trusting you. even if your_ _soul said you were telling the truth - you’ve really put _**_my _**_soul through the ringer… so just remember, i can easily undo this if you give me reason to.” _

_His hot breath wafted over your ear and you swallowed, heart racing as you again worried that he was going to change his mind about healing you all together. That he was going to see through your lie… _

_… But it wasn’t necessarily a complete lie this time… this time, you would toe the line. _

_Sans pulled back, relaxing and flashing you an easy grin. “love you, sweetheart… please don’t make me do somethin’ i don’t wanna do again.” _

_And again, you nodded. “I won’t… promise…” _

_He exhaled a huff of approval and produced a thin strip of black fabric from his pocket. Dropping the axe and stretching the fabric to its full length, you realized that it was a blindfold. “think it’s best if ya wear this… this isn’t exactly a pretty process and i don’t wanna traumatize you by making ya watch… is that alright, precious?” _

_For what felt like the hundredth time today, you nodded. Although it was hardly true that you wanted to wear a blindfold, you would do what he asked. It was easier. _

_Your vision was obscured in darkness when he fastened it over your eyes. _

_…. But behind your eyelids, all you could see was… pools of blood… that haunting red eye… skeletal claws waving your dismembered leg in front of you… _

_Your heart began to hammer through your chest when you heard the rasp of claws... tap, tap, tap..._

_You felt a dull pressure on the end of your leg stump… the clatter of the axe… followed by the rustle of a bag… _

_The scent of copper wafted through the air, nearly sending you into a fit of hyperventilation the moment it hit your nostrils. _

_… _

_... _

_“there…” The mattress creaked and you felt Sans brush up against your shoulder, presuming he was sitting next to you now. Coarse fingers began to stroke through your hair and massage your scalp. “just gotta give it an hour or two and it’ll be all fixed… though i’m not all that experienced in this, so i’d recommend staying off it for a few days.” _

_He chuckled, tracing a hand down your neck and along the magical mark on your shoulder. “but after that? should be good as new.” _

_____________

You had a routine. 

Well… it wasn’t much, because ultimately you had very little to do. But it was a routine nonetheless. 

It was something. Something to keep your mind focused, to keep you from descending into a state of complete despondence. 

You would wake up…

Then wash your face…

And then you would sit on your bed, doing whatever you could think of to pass the time until Sans inevitably came to visit you.

Sometimes you would count, or sing, or fantasize about fantastical heroics in your head.

Often, you would just go back to sleep, sometimes spending almost the entire day in slumber. You were just so tired all the time… 

It was… simple...

After all… what else were you supposed to do when you lived in a tiny, windowless metal _box?_ A box you hadn’t been allowed to leave once since your failed escape attempt.

You _hated _it. You hated _him _for this. _That _is one thing that would never change… no matter what happened.

But the longer this went on, the easier it was to make the connection - his happiness held a direct parallel to your well-being.

When you did as he asked before, Sans remained true to his promise to heal your leg. It no longer hurt and you were now able to walk again… even if the chain locked around your neck prevented you from moving much.

That felt like an eternity ago now.

But maybe… he would keep improving things for you...

… _If _you kept him happy...

If you were a good mate...

That was all you could hope for now.

You sat up in your bed and wrapped yourself in the blankets, staring at the walls as you waited for the time to pass. 

The longer you stared, the more sentient they seemed to become… as though tentacles were writhing beneath them… making them _move _… making them grow smaller. Closing in around you like a slow-moving trash compactor. 

It was almost… _maddening. _And unfortunately, a frequent sight now that you no longer had the pain as a distraction. Sometimes, you swore you heard them whispering to you.

But you knew it wasn’t real.

You closed your eyes… and re-opened them.

... Only to find Sans standing in the middle of the room now, him having popped in out of thin air without any warning. Something that wasn’t even the slightest bit jarring for you anymore. It was just… how things were.

Sans’ red eye pulsed as he waved his gaze over your form, a wide grin splitting his ivory jaw. “mornin', sweetheart. how are you?” 

You swallowed, gut churning at his less than pure gaze. _Of course he would be in the mood... _“...Good morning... I’m good.” 

“great to hear. heh, i’m good too, just in case you were wondering.” He winked at you, although there was a degree of rigidness to his bones that made you wonder if he was annoyed that you didn’t ask him the same question he asked you… ‘how are you’... 

_Shit... _

You would remember next time. 

He strode towards you, footsteps heavy on the cement floor. In his hand was a saran-wrapped bakery item and a tablet. 

Did he plan to have you watch a show with him? That’s usually why he brought his tablet with him. You would welcome that, considering how little else you had to do.

Dropping onto the mattress in a way that made it squeak, Sans settled himself against the wall next to you, dropping the food item in your lap and setting the tablet in his. “eat up, precious, got somethin’ important for you to do once you’re done.”

You did as you were asked, unwrapping what you now realized was a poppyseed muffin and taking small bites of it while Sans fiddled with his tablet. Sans fed you more now, which allowed you to regain some of the weight you had lost during your first month here. But you still felt… weak…

The second you took the last bite of the muffin, Sans scooted closer and looped an arm around your waist. “all finished, honey?”

You furrowed your brows, but nodded nonetheless. He looked positively giddy and you didn’t understand why. What was so special about today?

He rubbed your back and gave you a light peck on the head, bones shuddering as he lingered; inhaling deeply. You held back a flinch.

“great, let’s move on to your task - don’t worry, sweetheart, it’s an easy one… gimme a sec, i’ll pull it up.” His hot breath rustled your hair as he spoke, and he pressed one more ‘kiss’ to your temple before pulling away to again poke at the tablet. He flipped through tabs before pulling up… your email…

You bit your lip.

It wasn’t the least bit surprising. Nothing from him was particularly surprising anymore. Still, it didn’t stop a chill from rolling down your spine as you watched him scroll through your inbox, your stomach dropping as you realized… 

Some of those emails were fresh. Newly sent… newly received… message notifications from social media, bills, men you used to sell panties to… and responses sent back to them...

…

No one was looking for you...

… But not because they didn’t care about you... 

It was because no one even knew you were missing. Because Sans had been masquerading as you the entire time, paying your bills, sending emails on your behalf... and you could only imagine the same thing was occurring with your social media accounts as well.

It was because of _him. _

You blinked away the tears that threatened to form, reminding yourself that there was no point. It’s not like you had the power to change anything.

… Although you would be lying if you said that this didn’t bloom a minuscule bud of hope within you. People hadn’t forgotten about you, they just… didn’t know…

He opened up a link that was sent to your email. You only saw a glimpse of the title before he swiped it away… it said _‘Lease’ _... and the new page requested a signature.

He handed both the tablet and stencil to you.

“sign that, sweetheart,” he instructed, pointing to the empty box on the screen, “it’s time to make your new residence official.”

_Lease… lease _… 

Your apartment lease…

_Oh... _

He was trying to get you to terminate your housing contract… because it was up for renewal this month...

… If your lease was about to expire... that meant you’d been here for six months now… that meant it was almost summer… 

You knew time had passed… but you didn’t know it had been that long…

_… _

_... _

_Oh god... _

Your breaths turned shaky, bordering on hyperventilation, heart racing and body growing so numb that you felt disembodied from yourself. 

You… you had to get out of here. You had to get away, _somehow _… before six months turned into six years. People were missing you, right…? You had a life you could return to in the outside world.

…

...

** _No._ **

_Don’t try. It’s not worth it. _

_It’s impossible. _

The ugly scar tissue adorning your now-healed left leg was a constant warning of what would happen if you stepped out of line. The blue mark seared into your shoulder and the ring on your finger a reminder that you didn’t belong to yourself anymore.

You couldn’t escape. You would never return to your former life. It was a waste of energy to hope for that. 

<strike>Once people found out that you caused two deaths, they would hate you anyways.</strike>

<strike>You were damaged goods now.</strike>

You took a deep breath in effort to calm yourself - although it hardly worked. Gripping the tablet so hard that your knuckles turned white, you stared at the empty signature page. The hand hovering over it began to tremble, a single tear rolling down your cheek.

You were unable to hold back a flinch when you felt sharp claws graze your face as Sans wiped it away. “sweetheart… you okay?” 

You sniffled… and nodded, lowering your shaky hand to the tablet and signing it with the stencil.

Giving him what he wanted.

It should be so insignificant… it was just a lease after all. But in your mind, you were signing away your fate. Your future. 

“What will happen… to my cat?” You presumed that Jingles must still be living in the apartment.

“don’t worry about that, sweetheart,” Sans reassured, “i’ll take care of it.” 

You merely nodded in response, hanging your head. You didn’t know what that meant… but you weren’t about to question it and risk pissing him off. 

Sans gingerly took the tablet from you, setting it to the side before wrapping you into a tight hug. He buried his face into your overgrown hair, nuzzling your neck. The smoothness of his teeth against your skin was a strange contrast to the cold metal collar, which jangled from the movement. 

“shhhh,” he soothed, “i know it’s hard to let things go, but you did so good… you’re being such a good girl.” 

A skeletal hand glided down your side to caress your thigh, and your muscles instinctively locked up.

“i love you so, so much sweetheart... let me show you how much i love you. you’re so _good._..”

Heat radiated from his body as a rustle of magic filled the room. And moments later you found yourself on your back, Sans hovering over top you. He shrugged off his coat and tossed it to the side before sliding off your pants. Hands stroking up your abdomen, he pushed your shirt up until it exposed your chest.

You shuddered, squeezing your eyes shut. It didn’t take a genius to know where this was going... but you were used to it… 

This was just… a part of your life now.

Doing normal girlfriend things to keep him happy. 

Sans gripped at your sides, massaging and kneading at your skin, feeling up your body like you were some kind of oversized stress ball. His pupils raked over your form, ruby hue flashing. And you could see the blue glow beginning to form in the crotch of his shorts.

You tensed, sucking in a breath when he cupped your right breast, squeezing and playing with it. His other hand found your left breast and pinched your nipple, rolling the bud around in his fingers and making you hiss when he struck a sensitive bundle of nerves.

A rumbling sound that almost reminiscent to a purr left him as he dipped down to drag his tongue up your neck. His heated saliva tingled, creating goosebumps on your skin and bringing an involuntary shiver to your body. You pursed your lips, breaths wheezing unevenly out of your nostrils... and then yelped when you felt him bite down on the crook of your neck hard enough to draw blood.

"mmm, m'sorry sweetheart, didn't mean it..." he rumbled against your skin.

But it didn't stop him from lapping up the blood that spilled from the wound with eagerness similar to a dog licking peanut butter off of a chew bone. 

Again drawing his tongue up, he nipped at your ear, rubbing the fleshy lobe between his teeth before grabbing your hips and flipping you onto your stomach.

You clutched the blankets, burying your face into the comforter when he pulled you to your knees while keeping your chest pressed against the mattress. Your back arched almost uncomfortably as he spread your legs, splaying you out. 

But you remained quiet and still. 

Coarse hands groped your posterior, followed by an audible rattle of his bones, his breaths quickening. It was clear he was excited - by now, you knew his ticks. 

Exhaling a shaky sigh, you gripped the sheets harder as you anticipated what was to come. 

You heard shifting behind you, and then you felt… _him _brush up against your slit.

… It seemed he wasn't in the mood for much foreplay today… 

“so tense… relax honey, you’re in for a _boner-_fied good time, heh.”

Rocking his pelvis, he plunged into you. The abrupt entrance made you gasp, your jaw beginning to ache due to how hard you were clenching your teeth. 

But despite your dryness, his natural slickness made movement easy. And he gave you little time to adjust before beginning to rut into you, making the chain around your neck clink with each movement. His magic flared, creating a dense buzz in the room, ruby light flashing so vibrantly that it coated the surroundings in a dull crimson. 

You clawed at the bed, each one of his aggressive thrusts managing to stimulate your body. And it wasn’t long before that sickening pressure began to mount in your stomach, your legs quivering and threatening to collapse.

A part of you despised that doing this with him made you _feel _things; in fact, it made you want to scald your skin with boiling water… but… Sans enjoyed seeing you climax… loved seeing you writhe around and react to his touch...

You could shove your humiliation to the side if it kept him happy to see you this way. Momentary discomfort was nothing if it meant it was better for you in the long run.

Sans hunched over you, his face hovering so close to your head that you could feel his hot breath brush up against your scalp and rustle your hair. Lewd groans spilled from his mouth, his pupils fixated on your prone, jostling form. Dribbles of saliva seeped through his teeth and splashed onto your neck, making your skin tingle.

A strangled moan slipped past your lips when he hit an especially sensitive spot, prompting him to stutter in his thrusts and take a sharp intake of breath. But he settled back into his rhythmic pace moments later. His grip on your hips tightened, pelvis smacking against you so hard that you wondered if you would bruise. 

“f-feel good, honey? is that the spot?” He managed through ragged pants. “are... are ya close…? i dunno if i can hold out much l-longer.” 

While you weren’t certain if you were _close, _the constant swirling in your gut and light spasms between your legs told you that, yes, it did feel good. 

And even if it didn’t… you would still have given him what he wanted… _reciprocation. _

Biting your lower lip, you nodded your head.

“t-tell me…” he grunted out, claws pressing harder into your skin. “use _words.” _

You didn’t hesitate. 

“_Yes_,”you forced out, despite the way it made your face burn. “Please… _more _… it feels _good…” _

He let out of quivering groan, the denseness of magic in the room increasing and mingling with the musky scent of sex wafting through the air. His pace grew near-brutal, angling for that _spot _that you told him felt good each time. A skeletal hand left your hips to tangle into your hair and keep your face pressed into the mattress, but you could still see the glow of red watching you out of the corner of your eyes. 

That pressure built in your abdomen... and all it took was one more extra-vigorous thrust from him to send you rocketing into climax. Your body spasmed, entrance contracting involuntarily around him and the burning red behind you blurring into the surroundings as your vision blanked out.

But just like every other time, that feeling of bliss only lasted for a few seconds before you found yourself rocketed back into reality. Shame washed over you, making your skin burn and gut twist.

Then… you felt him twitch as he spilled a flood of magical release inside of you.

He grunted as he unsheathed himself, a small shudder rattling his bones. Skeletal hands leaving your body, he allowed you to collapse into a heaping pile on the bed while he righted his clothing.

And you… you didn’t dare move. Didn’t dare to put your pants back on or pull your shirt down. It was easier to wait for a cue of what to do next from Sans - you didn’t know _for sure _if he was done yet after all. You simply stared at the wall, body slick with sweat and breaths leaving you in short pants as you recovered, globs of hot magical release dribbling from your entrance and joining the numerous other blue stains on the bed.

… You hated that you knew what his… _equipment... _looked like now. It was a glowing blue… just like his magic… just like his… _fluids… _

_Why do I let him do this…? I’m so pathetic… _

Sans crashed next to you onto the mattress, hands slithering around your waist and pulling you close. You could feel his hardened ribcage press against your back and the heat of his breath waft over your neck. He began to stroke your abdomen, bumping his teeth against the back of your head in a chaste kiss.

“love you, sweetheart,” Sans revered, “i’ll _always _love you.”

_… I suppose… it could be worse… _

It could _always _be worse… at least he didn’t make it hurt (...much)… at least he _tried _to satisfy you...

You could see his eye lights watching you in your peripheral, flickering softly. Caring… affectionate…

The way he looked at you… it was as though you were the most important thing in the _world _to him… like he genuinely loved you. You had never had someone look at you that way before… not even Jake…

Your heart throbbed. You would _never _forget how awful he was at his core... but then… there were moments like these, where he was so _gentle… _and... it was easy to sink into the affection…

<strike>He was all you had.</strike>

… It almost made you want to forgive him for everything he had put you through. To stop putting forth the energy to hate him. To just give in… _completely. _

<strike>He must have had a reason to do the things he did, right?</strike>

Perhaps all those times he was cruel… maybe… maybe he didn’t really mean it. With all he went through in the Underground, it made sense that he was a little… screwed in the head. Maybe he was just a tortured soul trying to find love…

…

…

…

In fact, if you had something _to do _when Sans wasn’t here… this situation might actually be… _okay_. Well - no, it wouldn’t be okay, it would never be okay. But it would be… livable. After all, you had food, water, shelter, didn’t have to worry about bills. You were just so bored all the time.

Six months with nothing to do but stare at the grey walls that encompassed this room was beginning to threaten your sanity. 

Maybe…

“S-Sans…”

“what is it, sweetheart?” He patted your stomach. “ya still hungry? i can bring you some more food. can’t have my precious mate starve.”

You shook your head and your muscles tensed. This question was often on the tip of your tongue, however the fear of backlash always made you too scared to ask. 

… But this time, you managed to force it out, “I was hoping since… uh, since my apartment, er, _old _apartment will be going away that I… c-could I have some of the books from there?” After a pause you added on, “I get… bored… sometimes...”

With the afterglow of sex, he seemed in a good mood. So you were hopeful for the best.

You watched him in your peripheral. Waiting... waiting.... waiting for a response. And for a brief moment his pupils voided to black, bones growing rigid and grin dropping to a frown as he sat up.

Oh no… he’s mad - you knew asking was a bad idea! You knew it! You should have just kept your mouth _shut_!

You winced, squeezing your eyes shut and lungs preemptively burning as you braced yourself for the worst.

But… it never came. 

Pushing yourself up, you warily opened your eyes… and exhaled a sigh of relief when you saw that his expression had relaxed, a wide grin again adorning his face.

He resituated himself to crouch in front of you. “you’re bored…? but you have _me, _sweetheart… are you trying to tell me that _i’m _boring?” He traced a bony hand down your side, the feel of his claws against your skin making you shudder. “because sweetie… i can think of many more things to do to you to make it _not _boring.” 

“No, no! You’re not boring!” you sputtered out, “It’s just when you’re not here! I have nothing to do… _please _I just want a book or two.”

Silence graced the air… and you yelped when he grabbed your shoulders and leaned in close, claws digging into your skin and ruby hue shrinking to a dot.

You could feel his hot breath course over your face when he spoke, “... you sure you _deserve _something like that?”

Your breath hitched, heart pounding through your chest. His words were calm in tone, but his expression told a different story. He looked so… _terrifying _… a stark difference from the loving gaze just minutes earlier.

Forcing an exhale, you wracked your mind for a way out of this. 

_Right… right… okay… _

_Maybe… forget the books and just try to calm him down now. _

“... No… I know I don’t deserve anything… I know I’ve been bad in the past… but I learned my lesson… I know I’m supposed to be here with you, as your soulmate.”

It was easy to speak the words. He made you say similar things often to prove you accepted him. It was your constant lie spoken to preserve your well-being.

But this time, it felt different...

This time… you felt an air of truth to the words as you said them… they almost felt… _genuine… _

... What _did _you even want anymore…?

Maybe there was a reason your soul never outed you as a liar…

<strike>Maybe you truly were destined to be with Sans</strike>…

…

At your words, Sans’ jaw softened into a slack grin, a tint of blue dusting his cheekbones. And he released your shoulders. Pupils flickering, he drew a single claw down your body to trace your bare chest. Small tendrils of magic exuded from his fingertips and seeped into you, the amethyst glow of your soul brimming from beneath your skin in response. 

Why…? Was he planning on checking your soul for deception again…?

Or… maybe he wasn’t satisfied sexually and was planning to do that other _thing _with your soul…

“... that’s right, you’re _my _soulmate sweetheart,” he cooed. “you want your books? i guess i can do that for ya, i’d do _anything _for my precious mate… but… i trust you remember our agreement back when i told ya i’d heal ya?” 

_Agreement… _

Right… _that _agreement. How could you forget?

Talk to him… laugh at his jokes… have sex with him… be a _good _mate...

You frowned. Hadn’t you already been doing that? Was he… dissatisfied with you…?

“honey... don’t tell me you _forgot _…” Sans cast you a tense grin, surging his magic into your chest in a way that made your body tingle. 

_Oh… _

_The souls… _

“Soul… bond…” you whispered. 

“correct, good job sweetheart.” Sans’ blown-out socket flashed with a brief burst of red. “if ya want more privileges, you gotta show me you’re ready to move to the next level. you get something, you give something - it’s only fair.” 

_Soul bonding… _

…

You tried to recall his words...

_‘when we bond i’ll be able to feel everything… your thoughts, feelings, memories… and you’ll be able to feel me too…’ _

_... _

_‘typically monsters will mingle their souls after marking… get em used to each other… and, once they’re ready... the bond happens.’ _

_... _

_‘monsters almost always mate for life. it’s called bonding… but it’s a tricky deal… it only works if both souls are familiar with each other and their owners trusting of one another.’ _

...

That’s what he wanted? This soon…?

Your face paled, heart rate steadily increasing.

“all soulmates do this eventually… heh, relationship goals, right?” Sans continued to smile at you as though this was all completely _normal. _

“... if i’m gonna give ya something that’ll take your attention away from me, then i expect you show me you’re ready.” His magic flared at his fingertips, strands of cyan streaming into your chest and caressing your soul, filling you with that odd, magical warmth. “do that and i’ll bring ya whatever you want to pass the time… books, something to write with, cards, maybe some knitting supplies? whatever floats your boat.”

_No way, _your brain grumbled, _he’s actually jealous of _**_books_ **_? _

If you heard him right, that’s certainly what it seemed… but it didn’t distract from the keystone question. 

He wanted you to bond with him. _Permanently. _

“I…” you stumbled, growing light-headed and gut churning as the gravity of what he was asking weighed on you. “I… I don’t know…”

You remembered…

This had to be consensual.

This was something that he _couldn’t _force on you. For once, you actually had a choice.

…

You noticed his brow twitch, which typically indicated that he was irritated. Nonetheless, he flashed you a soft grin. “don’t be scared sweetheart… we’ll start off slow.” He pet your head, combing his fingers through your hair. “we won’t fully bond today… not yet. heh, i _know _you’re not ready for that yet… we’re just gonna trade small pieces of our souls, start getting em’ used to each other - like i told you before, remember?”

Right… soul bonding only worked if both souls were familiar and if their owners agree to it…

You supposed this was the familiarity part…

He took a deep breath before continuing, “even between soulmates, bonding souls is… _complicated… _this would just be a partial bond - the first stage of the bonding process. monsters have died by rushing into a full bond too quickly with souls that weren’t ready. this part has to happen, ‘specially considering our relationship started off a little rocky.”

"'course, bonds between soulmates are always the strongest, so even with a partial bond you’ll experience some of the effects of soul bonding like i told ya about before… but not all of them… not until the bond is complete. think of this as… a trial period.” He leveled his gaze with yours, eye-lights bright. “you can trust me.”

…

…

_He can’t force me if I say no, _you reminded yourself. 

He could do something else horrible to you in punishment for saying ‘no’... but he couldn’t force _this _on you.

…

… But what was the point of saying no?

You were trapped here for life regardless. Was it really that big of a deal to consummate it via a soul bond? 

And… if you were Sans’... _soulmate_… this was inevitably your destiny.

<strike>Maybe this was what was best for you.</strike>

You stared down, watching as Sans’ blue magic mingled with purple within the confines of your chest. And you spoke the words, “… I trust you…” 

Did you believe them? The way your gut twisted when they left your tongue told you that you didn’t. But still… you found yourself questioning that...

His grin widened and he ruffled your hair before pecking you on the forehead. “i’m so glad i brought you home with me,” he revered, “you know, you had me doubting myself quite a few times. but look… things worked out as they were meant to.” 

“...unfortunately, i can’t let ya out of your room yet… but…” Sans ran a finger down the chain that tethered you to the wall and along the metal collar locked around your neck. “i think we can take this off… gotta take it slow, _baby steps. _and of course i’ll bring you all the books you want, anything you want, i _promise._”

_Wow… _

… Maybe you should feel proud of yourself for managing to make someone as happy as Sans looked right now. His bones were practically vibrating, grin so large that it seemed to split his jaw in half.

In fact, now that you thought about it…that tick of his to tug on his eye socket when upset rarely occurred anymore. 

This was good… if he was happy, then it was better for you. It was safer for _everyone. _

He glanced at you, grin easy and calm, before returning his gaze to your chest. The heaviness of the magic in the room increased… followed by a sharp pull at your chest, your vision dulling into greyscale. You looked down to see the amethyst heart pulled from your body to hover a foot away from you. A familiar sight for you now.

And for a brief moment, Sans just… stared. His ruby hue flickered softly, the crimson light reflecting off of the shimmering surface of your soul… almost looking as though he might burst into tears.

“... your soul’s so amazing, sweetheart… can’t wait to get closer to it. _stars _i wish we could complete the bond _right… now... _” 

Letting out a drawn-out sigh, Sans leaned back and proceeded to pull up his shirt, hooking it over his collarbone and revealing his own pearlescent soul. The sheen white, inverted heart glimmered within the dark confines of his ribcage. 

And similar to Sans, all you could do was stare.

Souls were so beautiful. Even Sans’ soul… it reminded you of a vibrant, full moon in a starry night sky. The light at the end of the tunnel.

The soul of your… soulmate… 

Sans shoved a hand into his ribcage, a mist of cyan encircling his hand and streaming into his soul. Moments later, he withdrew the hand… but his entire soul didn’t come with him like you had expected. No, instead he held a small, gleaming ball of white encapsulated in translucent blue magic.

Was that… a piece of his soul?

One hand levitating the segment of his soul with magic, his other descended towards your soul. You instinctively pressed your back against the wall, the cool metal biting against your bare skin. 

“hold still, honey…”

And you watched as he repeated the same motion he had performed on his own soul with yours, twines of magic escaping his fingertips and seeping into the amethyst heart. You had expected it to hurt, or at least be uncomfortable. But all you felt was the warmth of magic flowing through your body as it licked at your soul.

“heh… it’s a good thing I marked your soul with my magic already, ‘else this’d be much more difficult.”

He produced a small ball from your soul much like he did with his. But unlike his, it matched the color of your soul, gelatinous in texture and pulsing like it had a heartbeat.

“ready…?”

Despite the way your heart thrummed, you nodded.

Holding the soul segments in opposite hands, Sans’s exhaled a shaky sigh, sparing one last glance at your wary face before slowly bringing the hand holding the piece of his soul towards yours…

And… you didn’t really know what to expect… a part of you thought that it might be painful… another part of you expected something momentous and magical to happen… or maybe that it might feel good or you would see memories, just like soul mating. After all, Sans said that you would feel _something _… right?

So you were mildly surprised to find that it felt like… 

… Nothing. 

You watched as Sans carefully pushed the segment of his soul into yours, the amethyst heart absorbing the small white piece, before guiding your soul back into your chest. 

And… 

…. Nothing happened. You didn’t feel any different, didn’t feel any pain or pleasure… 

From what you could tell… nothing had changed.

Was this right? It didn’t feel right…

You furrowed your brows and your gaze darted to Sans, who had performed the same motion to his own soul, allowing the inverted heart to absorb the violet segment which disappeared into a sea of white radiance. Sans’ bones rattled, and then… the dense pressure of magic in the room dissipated. The swirl of cyan magic in his left eye absolved and the once pulsating crimson of it calmed into gentle flickering. 

His expression became unreadable.

Maybe he felt something you didn’t…? Maybe only monsters feel the effects of soul bonding? Or whatever this was…?

The silence was _agonizing. _

You watched him, waiting for something to happen. Did it work? Does this mean you get your books now…?

Sans remained motionless for quite some time, staring at the ground with rigid features, the happy look he held earlier entirely absent. The edges of his jaw twitched… bony brows crinkling as though confused… and then his expression contorted into one that could be described as nothing short of betrayal.

_What…? _

Did you… do something wrong…? 

You cowered, expecting him to lash out at you. 

… But he didn’t.

And without another word, he stood, taking only a brief moment to pull his shirt back down and snatch the tablet off the ground before turning on his heel and disappearing.

Leaving you alone and confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for reading as always! Have a great morning/day/ night and happy late Valentines Day. <3 you all!


	25. Sans: Clarity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank everyone for the support last chapter (and for this whole story! <3) and I'm so, so sorry I was slow to respond to comments last chapter. It was quite a busy week for me! But things have settled down now, and I should be able to respond quicker this time. With that said, I did not have as much time to edit the chapter for this week - but I hope it is still enjoyable! 
> 
> Please mind the **warnings** in the end notes for this chapter (if you wish to look at them - they do contain spoilers). There is a warning that applies to this chapter that I did not specifically put in the tags for spoiler purposes, so be sure to check the end notes if you feel anything might bother you.

Sans didn’t even know that it was possible for him to travel through the void as swiftly as he did in this moment. The swirling, abyssal chasm of darkness was gone in the blink of an eye as he shortcutted from your room back to his own.

The moment he hit the floor of his bedroom, he dropped the tablet and mechanically moved to sit on his bed, staring at the wall with unmoving pupils. 

Something was wrong…

The partial soul bond… it didn’t feel right - It didn’t feel like anything… and that was the problem.

Sans’ eye lights drifted to the book on his bed stand… _‘Souls for Dummies’. _ He was by no means an expert on soul bonding, but he had done his research… and according to the book, because you and him were soulmates, he was supposed to feel _something_ after a partial bond. The book described it as… an incredible rush of joy and happiness, an overwhelming feeling of warmth… perhaps even some thoughts and emotions being traded similar to a full bond.

He didn’t experience any of that. And based on your dull expression during the ordeal, you didn’t either.

Was it not successful…? You _agreed _to it, so it should have been… 

Exhaling a shaky sigh, Sans lifted his shirt. Slipping a hand between his ribcage, he pulled the inverted heart out and began to inspect it with a clinical proficiency. 

Sure enough, there, nestled within the center, was the vibrant purple splinter of your soul. It pulsed, almost making his own normally motionless soul stutter with it. 

… So it did take...

...

… Then what happened…? Why didn't he feel anything...?

...

Sans had long fantasized that the moment he convinced you to do this with him, you would fall head over heels in love with him based on your soul’s will alone. That any doubt you had left would be snuffed out.

Bonded soulmates often said that their feelings of love only intensified after they tied the soul knot. 

.... Maybe the lack of feeling was due to being in the early stages of the bonding process. Perhaps once the bond was complete, the feelings that the book emphasized would emerge...?

…

...

No...

Sans _ wanted _ to believe that… he _ desperately _wanted to.

… But in the back of his mind... he knew the truth...

…

The book described it clear as day - all actions of the soul were possible between non-soulmates. It was even possible to bond souls with someone who is not your soulmate, and exchange memories by trading magic via soul mating. 

But bonds between non-soulmates are often weak. 

… And only true soulmates are able to form bonds strong enough to feel the thoughts and emotions of their partner. 

It was as though a dense fog lifted from his head… and everything started to make sense...

Your reluctance from the very beginning… why your soul had tried to reject his magic that one night in the hotel… the way your soul seemed to push him away each time he interacted with it...

The pieces clicked together. 

…

…

He made a mistake.

…

Soulmates were predetermined by fate. Each person, human or monster, only had one. 

And for him, that wasn’t you. 

You were… just a random human...

…

… Why…? Why did he feel these things for you then…?

He recalled the way you smiled at him the day he first saw you… that _ adorable _smile that made his soul throb…

The way you spoke to him like he was… _ normal_… 

He had felt such a strong draw towards you… like a magnetic pull dragging him in. He was _ so _certain that you were the one.

A shaky exhale left him, facial bones crinkling. 

Was he so lonely and desperate for companionship where all it took was a friendly smile to make him believe that someone was his soulmate...?

Was that who he was now…? Was _ that _how far he had fallen…? 

He sunk his face into his palms, sharp claws digging at his skull and tugging at his sockets. The grating sound reverberated straight through his bones, but the pain it manifested provided little distraction.

What now…? 

__________

The narrow rays of the sunset peeked in through the blinds of the hole in the wall bar, reflecting off of the dusty surfaces and illuminating rustic decor. It showed its wear and age well enough, but it was the best location Grillby could lease out for his establishment upon arriving on the surface.

It got the job done, and it still remained a place that all monsters could feel welcome in. Even within the Monster District, locations such as this were in short supply. 

Sans was thankful that the health code complaint filed against the establishment was thrown out by the courts...

… But he couldn’t help but think how different things might have turned out if the temporary shutdown never occurred for Grillby… if he never had reason to enter the bar you used to work at to begin with...

“grillbz, don’t ya got anymore ketchup? i’m parched over here,” Sans slurred as he attempted to squeeze the last droplets from a nearly empty ketchup bottle onto his plate.

The fire elemental stood on the other side of the bar counter, well dressed in a black suit and posture dignified as usual. He quirked a brow at Sans before shaking his head. “... All out I’m afraid.”

“c’mon pal, you’re _ killin’ _ me.” Sans gave up on the bottle and slumped over the oak-wood counter. He picked at a single fry on his plate… it was far too dry… but he still popped it in his mouth. _ can’t be wasteful... _

“... Understood, I will order more for tomorrow.” Grillby nodded, resuming polishing the glass he was holding. “Didn’t expect you to go through three bottles in one night.” 

“yeah, well, it’s been one of those weeks.” Sans exhaled a drawn-out groan.

He wasn’t nearly drunk enough…

And there wasn’t even close to enough ketchup to go around.

_ Four days… _

It had been four days since he’d last seen you… 

… Since he figured out that you weren’t his true soulmate.

He couldn’t bring himself to face you. He really didn’t know what _ to do _once he faced you.

…

You were okay… right…? Humans could survive for a bit without food…

Yeah… yeah… you were definitely okay…

He just needed _ time _ … to _ think… _

Sans scratched his skull, hooking a claw beneath the crack and bending a jagged splinter upward. Agony tore through his bones, but ultimately failed to do much more than make him rattle from the pain. 

_ not enough... _

“I wasn’t going to mention anything, but I’ll admit I am curious. You do seem off. Is everything alright?”

Sans’ pupils darted up to see Grillby standing in front of him, flames sizzling as he stared at Sans through smoldering eyes.

“what are ya, my therapist?” 

Grillby blinked. “No… but I’m always happy to lend an ear if need be…” 

Sans sighed, slouching further over the counter and clinking his claws against the empty beer glass. “just... found somethin’ out i didn’t expect…” His jaw tightened. “have you ever… had something happen to you that just flipped your whole world upside down…?” 

A few pops and crackles emitted from Grillby’s body as his flames flared. “... Yes… but you know very well that I’d prefer not to speak of it.”

The Underground...

“...sorry pal, forget i said anything.” Sans forced an exhale through his nares. “... can i just get another drink? go ahead and add it to my tab.”

Grillby nodded, promptly turning to fill another glass with magic-infused beer. “... I hope you know that you still have to pay off your tab at some point, but don’t worry… this one’s on the house.”

“right... i’ll get around to it. and thanks, you’re a real bud grillbz.” Sans winked, although the gesture hardly felt genuine. 

How was he supposed to focus on _ anything _else when he had you to worry about…? 

His human problem...

He took a large gulp of the beer, relishing in the buzz the alcohol sent straight to his soul; although he’d prefer some more ketchup if he were to be honest.

...

Humans ruined everything… 

They turned the Underground to shit, causing monsters to starve to death and forcing others, such as Grillby, to withstand unbearable agony for years due to the hunger-caused depletion of magic. 

It was because of _ humans _that Undyne saw it as necessary to put a hole through Sans’ head.

They were all self-centered, despicable _trash_… they _ killed _monsters in cold blood for their own gain. 

Why the ** _fuck _ **did he ever think that a human could be his genuine soulmate…?

Maybe his real soulmate was dead in the Underground… or maybe he had no true soulmate to begin with - some monsters were unlucky in that way...

All he had was… _ you… _

A _ human. _

Your smile, your laugh… the images flashed through his head, the sounds echoed through his mind.

<strike>That beautiful smile, that adorable laugh.</strike>

Kindness that seemed so uncanny to a human…

It was a ** _lie. _ **

You lied to him. Made him think that you were something you weren’t.

Behavior like that… it seemed just like a human. It seemed just like _you. _

And you had even admitted it yourself in the distant past… you were only nice to him because you wanted _ tips. _Coaxing him in for your own benefit like some kind of manipulative succubus. 

Selfish, greedy, deceitful… that was what you were.

…

...

His time was running out. Unless he planned to just leave you to starve, he knew he had to do something.

Decide what to do with you. Figure out how to handle this partial soul bond that he had no idea how to undo...

<strike>Did he want to undo it</strike>…?

His mind told him he did… after all, why would he want to be bonded with someone who wasn’t his soulmate? A _ human _no less…?

… But at the same time, the mere thought of severing the bond with you made his soul twist. He didn’t understand. He didn’t understand this at all.

_ fuck... _

Chugging the rest of the beer, Sans bid Grillby farewell and shortcutted home.

The scent of burnt tomatoes assaulted his nasal cavity as he materialized in the kitchen. And matching the smell, he spotted a full pot of overcooked spaghetti sitting atop the stove, red sauce staining the surface of the white cooking device.

If dinner was prepped then Papyrus must be home. 

“paps?” he called out, “you here...?”

No answer…

It was then that he heard scraping outside, mingled with loud grunts and the occasional boisterous exclamation of victory. He approached the small kitchen window and peeked outside, making out the familiar form of Papyrus outside and working hard to tend to the tomato garden he had planted.

Homegrown tomatoes were the best for making spaghetti sauce according to Papyrus.

Sans shrugged, turning from the window and pupils once more resting on the spaghetti. His vision blurred in and out in his drunken stupor, and he found himself spacing off as he stared…

… Thinking…

Should he…?

…

He huffed, hooking a clawed finger around his socket and yanking once. Making up his mind, he snatched a ceramic bowl from the cupboard and scooped a large portion of spaghetti into it.

Another long moment passed as he stared at the cold bowl of food… and he inhaled and exhaled a deep breath, forcing himself to calm, before shortcutting to your room.

His bones twitched as his gaze found your sleeping form, curled up into a ball atop the mattress beneath a heap of blankets. You snored softly, your body rising and falling in your slumber.

… You looked so… vulnerable…

His headache roared and he found himself tempted to lay down next to you, as he had done so many times before. Cuddle with you… hold you close... 

<strike> Stars, you were always so warm. He _ loved _ </strike> <strike>it</strike>.

<strike>It was the best cure to his headaches</strike>.

But he shook off the temptation. 

He wouldn’t let himself succumb to the lure of a human _ whore _any longer. 

After some time of watching you sleep in silence, Sans heaved a sigh and moved to crouch next to the bed. Hand settling atop the pile of blankets, he none-too-gently shook your slumbering form until you began to moan and stir.

“W-wha?” There was a groan followed by wiggling beneath the blankets. “What time is it…?”

Your body shifted, the chain attached to your neck rattling with the movement, and Sans saw a hand peek out from beneath the comforter. His brow twitched as he found his patience dwindling… but he maintained his composure, hovering a safe distance away while he waited for you to wake up.

After what seemed like minutes, you sat up, legs crossed, a single blanket still wrapped protectively around your body. And Sans’ jaw nearly dropped when he noticed _ his _coat draped over your shoulders… his favorite blue winter jacket that he had mistakenly left behind after the revelation… you were wearing it. 

He would be lying if he tried to tell himself that the sight didn’t make his soul flip.

Your eyes squinted and crinkled, and then widened once they rested on him. “S-Sans…?”

Your gaze darted from his face to the bowl clutched in his hands. Leaning forward, you licked your lips and swallowed, an audible rumble reverberating from your gut.

That was all the prompting Sans needed before offering you the bowl. You didn’t hesitate, snatching it from him and beginning to inhale the food. 

Sans huffed out a bitter chuckle. Papyrus would be thrilled to see someone consume his cooking so voraciously. It almost made Sans feel bad for allowing you to go hungry as long as you had… after all, that would definitely be the only reason someone would eat his brother’s spaghetti with such vigor.

...

No… no… why the fuck should he care about whether you were a little hungry or not? He had gone hungry for _ seven years _at one point… surely you could last a few days with no real harm to your body.

He wouldn’t let himself feel sympathy for a human… he _ couldn’t… _

Everything that happened to you here… you brought on yourself. You _ deserved _it.

It was your punishment for being what you were.

In no time at all, you finished your dinner, having wolfed it down like a starving hyena. And Sans was thankful for this, he’d rather not spend more time here than necessary… just enough to keep you alive until he decided what to do about you. 

Exhaling a rigid breath, he grabbed the empty bowl off the ground and turned to leave. 

But then… he heard your voice...

“Thank you…” 

Sans whipped around. He _ hated _ the way his soul thumped when you said that, _ despised _the way you speaking to him felt like music to his ears. Gritting his teeth so hard that they began to grind down, a surge of misty blue magic puffed out of his nasal cavity. 

“Uhm, for the food I mean… thank you for the food,” you added on after a small pause, blinking. You hugged his coat closer to your body and chewed on your lower lip. “I was really hungry…”

His brow twitched. Why…? Why…? You had no right to make him feel this way. You _ weren’t _ his soulmate. You were nothing but a useless, lying, human _whore. _

But he reigned in his teetering temper and forced out an awkward, “no problem,” before again making motion to leave. He couldn’t be rash, he couldn’t be _ impulsive. _

“… S-Sans?” It was _ you _ again, your voice quiet. “ I-I’m sorry if I upset you last time… I didn’t mean it. B-but… you promised if we bonded… my books?”

He could see you tremble as you spoke, a small smile playing on your lips. “Please.” 

The action shot a tremor straight to his soul.

And he froze. 

Why were you talking to him like that? _ Why were you smiling at him like that?_****

**_Why did you make him feel these things? _ **

It was as though something within him _ snapped_. His bones tensed, magic flaring as a rigid grin split across his face. 

He threw his head back and laughed. And laughed, and laughed, and laughed, until he ran out of breath and couldn’t any longer.

Your eyes turned to saucers and you dropped the blanket, flattening your back against the wall and pulling the blue jacket into yourself.

“books…” he whispered, “... books?”

“you want your _ books_?” His grin widened, bordering on a scowl.

You frantically shook your head. “N-no-”

“_fuck your books_!” In one motion, he hurled the ceramic bowl at your head.

You shrieked, diving out of the way and just barely dodging it as it shattered against the wall, pieces of it now littering the bed.

And Sans didn’t give you a chance to recover before he pounced on you, using magic to grip your body and slam you against the mattress. The springs squeaked from the impact, your form bouncing slightly. He straddled you, staring down at you with a vehemence, his bones trembling and rattling. Using one hand to press your shoulders down, he lifted his other and summoned several sharp, white bones to hover inches from your chest.

Surely the partial bond would break if you _ died _right? 

… But he was unable to bring himself to pierce them through your heart and allowed them to vanish in a mist of blue. 

Pain rocketed through his cracked skull, momentarily blacking out his vision. 

“_you_,” he ground out through heaving breaths “_shut up… _ ** _stop_**_… _ ** _talking_**_… _ you’re not _ allowed _ to speak anymore _ … _ you’re not allowed to _do anything_.”

He didn’t want to hear you say anything _ ever_.

He growled, magic illuminating the room in a kaleidoscope of red, yellow, and blue. He could sense your heart fluttering beneath his hands like a caged bird frantic to escape its prison; hear your breaths escape your dried, parted lips, short and quick, panicked.

_ He didn’t want to hear you. _

He didn’t even want to hear you **_breathe_****.**

Head pounding, Sans snarled before latching onto your throat with both hands and constricting. He could feel the delicate rings of your trachea beneath your skin as he forcefully collapsed it, closing off the air to your lungs.

You started choking… making sounds…

… He wanted you to _ stop_. 

He squeezed harder.

The hold of his magic on you dissipated as he lost concentration and you began to fight him, hands scraping at his phalanges, legs kicking and thrashing, a pleading look swimming in your teary, blood-shot eyes. 

But Sans didn’t register your struggling. All he saw was red. 

_ just be _ ** _quiet_****.**

**…**

**...**

…. You grew silent… and stopped fighting…

Sans, still breathing heavily, snapped back to reality and slowly unwound his hands from your throat. His quaking pupils stared down at your motionless figure…

…

...

_ shit… _

The roar of magic in the room calmed, the denseness lifting from the air. The rage seeped from his bones, shocking him back to reality… and he brought a trembling hand up to your face to lightly slap your cheek. “hey… wake up.”

…

…

_ no… were you…? _

_ please don’t be dead… don’t be dead, don’t be dead, don’t be dead. _

_ ... _

There was a heave of your chest… followed by you gasping in a deep breath. 

He exhaled a sigh of relief. 

However... you remained in your unconscious state.

Sans got off of you and knelt down. His soul twisted as he eyed your limp form, inwardly praying that you would be _ okay… _ all he wanted was for you to be _ quiet_...

_ … _He didn’t want you to die…

… <strike>He wasn’t ready to lose you</strike>…

A sharp pain stabbed his head and he let out a shaky breath, sweat beading at his stiffened bones and streaming down his skull.

You were breathing at a steady pace now, chest rising and falling in rhythm. And… he couldn’t help his wandering eyes... his gaze traveled down your form, taking in the mounds of your breasts beneath the loose fabric of your shirt – _ his _ shirt… and _ his _ coat splayed open and allowing full view of your figure. Even the curve of your hips was accentuated despite the baggy sweatpants covering your legs… 

Even_ he _ knew that now was _ not the time_; he shouldn’t even _ want _you like that anymore. 

_ fuck _

Maybe… you didn’t do anything wrong. Maybe… you weren’t a whore. You weren’t even _ awake _right now and he was...

… He couldn’t even _ control _ himself. What was _ wrong _with him…? 

...

Maybe… this was all his fault…

… He brought you here after all… plucked a random girl off the streets because he thought… he thought…

** _fuck._ **

Bitter memories came rushing back… of the times he had… _forced you _to be intimate with him under the pretense of being soulmates. Convinced himself that he was in the right because you and him were meant to be together. 

Sans knew he had done heaps of morally questionable things for the sake of survival in his past. But it was just that - they were for _ survival. _ They were _ justified_. 

… He never considered himself a rapist… and all those times before… 

_ fuck, fuck, _ ** _fuck. _ **

He was wrong. 

Human or not, soulmate or not… no one deserved this… 

… But he still couldn’t stop magic from surging to his pelvis as he eyed your form.

He was just about to reach out and touch you but pulled back when you began to groan, eyelids fluttering. You shifted, hands moving to rub the multitudes of purple bruises that had already begun to form on your neck, which were just barely obscured by the heavy metal collar. Another rugged moan slipped past your cracked lips.

You were… alive…

_ … thank stars. _

Shit, you were waking up. What was he supposed to say to you after what he just did…? 

An inward bout of panic shocking his core, Sans didn’t even wait for you to open your eyes before shortcutting away.

The sounds of your coarse coughs buzzed in his head as the darkness of the void overtook him. 

__________

A blue glow from the television illuminated the otherwise dark living room, highlighting the worn age of the house but still looking utterly immaculate thanks to Papyrus’ spring cleaning efforts.

And for Sans, the couch was an excellent spot at the moment. It was away from you, and the blaring action movie on the screen proved to provide some distraction from his… _ situation. _

Very little distraction, but a distraction nonetheless. It was enough to calm him down. 

Because as his drunkenness wore off, all he had were his nagging thoughts. 

_ fuck… _

… What was he supposed to do about you…?

He couldn’t kill you… he just _ couldn’t... _

Guilt weighing on him, the thought crossed his mind that he could let you go. Just drop you off somewhere far away and pretend he never met you.

But he knew that this was an impossibility. 

What was he supposed to say? ‘_hey, sorry for kidnapping you and killing your friends, but you’re free to go and don’t tell the cops’ _?

Surely _ that _would not go over well. If he let you go, the first thing you would do would be to run to the police. You would press charges and with all he had done, he knew there was no way he could garner enough leverage to get out of it this time.

It was different from the Underground here...

He would have to go on the run… he would be taken away from his home… his brother…

… He wouldn’t even have you anymore. 

Letting you go wasn’t an option… 

He didn’t _ want _to let you go. 

** _<strike>He loved you.</strike>  
_ **

His magic buzzed around his soul, it somehow thumping and twisting simultaneously. A rough exhale left his nasal cavity, a small mist of blue streaming out with it.

… The only option was to keep you...

… But how could he justify that now that he knew what you were - or rather, what you _ weren’t? _

<strike>He wished he had never found out, so things could have continued as they were.</strike>

<strike>You were starting to love him back now</strike>.

… <strike>But would you still after what he just did</strike>…?

A quick tug of his socket ruptured pain through his bones, which only intensified when the door slammed open, followed by Papyrus stamping in. 

Papyrus stomped and rubbed his feet on the front rug, specks of dirt from the garden falling off. His eye-lights met Sans’ and seemed to glow with excitement. 

“SANS! YOU’RE HOME!” Papyrus’ maw split into a grin, his bones giving a short rattle as he raced over to sit down next to Sans. “I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!”

Sans rubbed his temple. _ probably something about his tomatoes. _

Papyrus was quite proud of his garden.

“SO, YOU KNOW HOW I’VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT WHERE YOU’VE BEEN ALL THE TIME LATELY? WELL! THERE IS NO NEED TO EXPLAIN ANY LONGER BECAUSE I, MASTER DETECTIVE PAPYRUS, HAVE FIGURED IT OUT.”

And if Sans could have turned any paler than he was naturally, he would have.

… _ shit… that’s definitely _ ** _not _ ** _ about the tomatoes. _

… Did Papyrus find out about you? After all he had done to keep it a secret?

His bones tensed.

_ this is bad… this is real bad... _

“uhhh…heh… what’d ya figure out paps?”

“YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND!” Papyrus squealed, launching himself from the couch and embracing Sans into a smothering hug.

_ oh... _

“AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE JUST BEING LAZY AND STAYING OUT LATE DRINKING AND EATING JUNK FOOD, BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT YOU ALWAYS SMELLED LIKE A FEMALE WHEN YOU CAME HOME,” Papyrus rambled, releasing Sans and eyes lighting up. “SO I FIGURED THAT YOU MUST BE SEEING SOMEONE IN SECRET!”

“IT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING! THE ODD WAY YOU’VE BEEN ACTING, THE SMELL OF A HUMAN WOMAN IN THE HOUSE, THE FEMALE CLOTHES I FOUND IN THE BATHROOM, HOW YOU’VE BEEN IRRESPONSIBLE AND SKIPPING WORK, THE NUMBER OF STAINS ON YOUR-“

“whoa, paps, you can stop there.” Why did he have to bring up the stains of all things?

… Shit, he did forget about your clothes in the bathroom that one time, didn’t he?

But at the very least, it seemed Papyrus didn’t know the _ whole _story.

What would Papyrus think of him if he knew…? Sans didn’t even want to feed that thought.

“yeah, you’re right, i met someone,” Sans conceded with a shrug.

Papyrus grinned from ear to ear. “I KNEW IT! YOU CAN NEVER FOOL THE GREAT PAPYRUS! I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU BROTHER! WHY DID YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME?! IS IT BECAUSE SHE IS A HUMAN?! YOU SHOULDN’T BE ASHAMED OF THAT! YOU MUST BRING HER HERE SO I CAN MAKE HER SOME OF MY STUPENDOUS SPAGHETTI!”

“well, she’s a little shy bro, don’t know if she’s ready to meet ya yet.” Sans scratched his skull. _ just drop it paps. _“we’re taking things slow.”

“NONSENSE! YOU’VE BEEN SEEING HER FOR MONTHS!” Papyrus exclaimed, “I INSIST THAT YOU INVITE HER OVER AND I WILL MAKE YOU TWO A MARVELOUS MEAL! OR I COULD JUST FIND OUT WHO SHE IS AND INVITE HER MYSELF – I AM A MASTER DETECTIVE AFTER ALL!”

“ehhhh.” Sans cringed. With how insistent Papyrus was being about this, Sans wouldn’t put it past him to snoop around more. Risky… “okay… i’ll talk to her and see if she wants to come over.”

_ … welp… _

Sans knew that once Papyrus got his mind on a track for something, it was difficult to get him off of it.

And that terrified him.

He _ had _to figure out a way out of this. 

____________

Sans groaned as he returned to his room for the evening. The moment he had conceded to the idea of having a ‘girlfriend’, Papyrus promptly turned on some ridiculous human romantic comedy, thinking that it would help give Sans ‘ideas’.

What a load of garbage…

Of course, this was also accompanied with more poking and prodding about you from his younger brother, him even having the audacity to ask Sans if you were the one.

But Sans couldn't fault Papyrus for that... he didn't know...

... And with any luck, he would _never _know.

Sans sighed as he crashed onto his bed, already tossing and turning despite having only been there for a few seconds. A rattle shook his bones.

_ this is ridiculous... _

All he saw when he shut his sockets was… _ you. _

_ ... _

Should he go check on you…? Ensure that you were okay after he… he…

… After… he had… _ hurt _you…

Why… why did he do that? 

<strike>Why did he hurt the one he loved?</strike>

His soul twisted. 

In the split of a second, he rose from his bed and shortcutted away. 

The grey surroundings of your room came into view, the small light on the ceiling buzzing and flickering, creating a mild strobe light effect. Sans glanced at it before scanning the vicinity for you.

_ where… _

_ ... _

He couldn’t sense your normal scent… even the feel of his magic in your soul felt… off… it was there, but weak… 

...

It was then that he smelled… blood. Lingering in the room… dense and metallic, it assaulted his nasal cavity.

Gaze darting to the direction of the scent, he spotted you... slouched against the wall, head lolled down onto your chest and hair obscuring your face… streams of crimson dripping from your upturned wrists. His blue coat was strewn across your lap, soaked in red, and in your lax hand there was… a piece of the ceramic bowl he had broken earlier, sharp and jagged, and coated in fresh blood.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warnings**: Graphic violence, choking, blood, suicide attempt
> 
> Thank you so, so much for reading as always! It almost feels strange for me to be so close to the end of this XD. Have a great morning/day/evening! <3 you all!


	26. Confusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning**: Suicide attempt, mildly described non-consensual soul sex. 
> 
> Obviously this fic covers a lot of dark subjects, with suicide being one of them. I take these subjects very seriously and I try very hard not to make light of any of them. While the MC's situation is fictional and I *hope* no one here ever experiences (or has experienced) something similar, there are many things and situations that can cause suicidal thoughts. Please always remember that YOU MATTER. The Suicidal Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 is always available if you need someone anonymous to talk to. I care about you and there will always be other people who care about you too. You're not alone. <3

__________________________

You didn’t know why you thought things were going to get better.

Why would they get better? You were a prisoner that barely had more significance than a pet. Why would you believe for a second that Sans would actually do something nice for you? Why did you ever consider actually _trusting _him?

Worthless. That’s how you felt as you laid defeated atop the mattress, too scared to move despite the fact that it had likely been hours since Sans had left. He didn’t even care that he had almost killed you today. He just… left… never bothering to check if you were okay. Your throat ached, each breath feeling as though you had gargled glass… you weren’t even certain if you could speak.

Your hands found the hem of his coat, squishing the blue material between your fingers. It smelled like him… in fact, it was almost comforting to wear it when he had been gone. To remind you that you weren’t alone… 

Was it wrong of you to feel that way…?

Were you incorrect in how you read his intentions towards you…?

… You thought… that he loved you. As awful as he had been in the past, he always reminded you that he did those things because he cared about you. Because you were important to him… because he wanted to be with you… because you were his ** _soulmate_**… 

…

But he didn’t actually love you, did he? No one did… It was all a lie.

Maybe the soul bond he initiated was a farce as well. A cruel joke to be played at your expense... it would explain why you never felt anything. Sans would _always _be the horrible person that kidnapped and tortured you.

You wished… that he did actually kill you. It was funny to think of it that way, considering you used to be terrified of that very thing.

… But was there any point in continuing to live like this…? 

…

You pushed yourself up onto your arms, vision disorienting as you noticed that the single, dim light in the room had begun to flicker. Chain rattling from the movement and iron collar weighing on your neck, you crawled over to the water bowl… wanting something to soothe your throbbing throat...

To dull the phantom feeling of his hands around your throat.

But the bowl was upturned on the ground, what little remained now drying up on the cement. You flipped it upright and confirmed that there was indeed nothing left.

…

You scooted back to the mattress, intending to go back to sleep, but stopped when you felt something sharp puncture your leg. Wincing, you looked down and saw… a large shard from the ceramic bowl Sans had broken earlier, protruding and jagged, it was lodged into your calf muscle, creating a trickle of blood.

Pulling it out of your leg with a grimace, you sat up and inspected it… and stared for a long time.

... 

… It was like a genie had heard your wish and granted this to you… your deliverance... your ticket to freedom… 

Propping yourself up against the wall, you shrugged the heavy blue coat off and draped it along your lap. You gripped the ceramic piece so hard that it threatened to lacerate your palm and pressed it against your now-exposed wrist…

You took a deep breath...

...

... And your movement stuttered.

...

You didn’t want to… 

Even now, your instinctual will to survive boiled within you; your primitive desire to _ keep going _no matter the circumstances.

...

_ No… _

_ It’s okay… _

_ You’ve been through enough… you can rest now… _

With one motion, you dragged the shard over your skin, the sharp edge slicing through your veins and creating an eruption of crimson blood in its wake.

A wince slipped past your lips as you repeated the same motion with your other wrist.

Adjusting your position in so that you were more comfortable, you laid your hands to the side, wrists upturned, and closed your eyes…

The bitter smell of copper filled your nostrils. 

Visceral panic clawed at your mind as you slowly exsanguinated, your heart fluttering rapidly in your chest. Screaming at you to save yourself, to stop the bleeding, to _ persevere_...

…

But you reminded yourself, _ don’t be scared_.

_ It will be over soon. _

_____

_ You stood in the snow, substantial in depth and climbing up to above your ankles. But you felt no cold. _

_ In front of you was a large, concrete door of an ancient age. A familiar sight for you. You leaned against it, and on the other side, you heard the voice of a woman. It was calm and polite, yet dignified. _

_ She asked you to promise, that if a human ever came through this door, to protect them and keep them safe. _

_ A moment of hesitation buzzed in your head. That sounded like a lot of work… why should you care about humans…? _

_ But still, because she was your friend, you agreed. Promising to do as the woman asked. _

_ .... _

_ Black filled your gaze, and when it cleared… you still found yourself in the snow. _

_ You were on the ground, on your knees, eyes cast towards the ground. _

_ And beneath you… there was a human. A girl, likely no older than twelve of a thin frame, skin paled and mousy, light-brown hair splayed out on the snow below her. _

_ Drool seeped from your teeth, _ ** _hunger _ ** _ clawed at your core. You needed food. _ ** _You needed it. _ **

_ Despite your moral consciousness screaming in the back of your head, you latched onto the girl’s arm and tore it off in one swift motion. _

_ Seven years was way too long. You were finally going to eat a proper meal. _

**...**

The mysterious sights faded and...

… It was… peaceful. Almost as if you were floating. The pain had been replaced with a euphoric high that buzzed within your head and made your body grow numb. There was a pull at your chest and through your bleary gaze, you saw a flash of violet. Your soul?

Was this what dying felt like?

A glimmer of blue and white filled your vision, mingling with purple, and that trance of euphoria dissipated. An overbearing warmth invaded your body, followed by a tingling sensation that almost felt like... 

...Huh?

You opened your eyes and saw the devil.

That glowing red eye… shrunken to a slit yet pulsating with a chaotic vibrance. That dirty white skull adorned with a gaping, abyssal pit… sockets as dark and deep as an endless black hole…

And right in front of you was… his soul… latched onto yours and feeding it with cyan magic. 

_ No! _

“Stop! Stop!” you shrieked, although your voice came out as more of a damaged rasp.

_ No, no, no, no! _

Heart pounding, terror arose within you. With strength you didn’t even know you had, you shoved Sans away, forcibly unlatching your soul from his and managing to suck it back inside your chest without his assistance. He stumbled back and your gaze darted to your wrists. 

Two deep white scars now replaced the once gushing wounds. 

Sobbing, you clawed at the scars - desperate to reopen them. _ Please, please, please… _

Before you had any success, Sans snatched your wrists and yanked them apart, holding them in a vice grip at your sides. A whimper escaped you as you jolted in startle, and you stared at him through tear-streaked eyes, pleading. 

“Please let me die, please let me die. _ Just let me die!” _

And in this moment, you swore that his expression mimicked your own - it was one of sheer horror. Beads of blue sweat adorned his skull and heavy, quick breaths left his agape mouth, brushing heatedly over your face. You struggled like a cornered feral cat, fighting against his grip and kicking at his abdomen, raw desperation overriding all common sense.

Red eye disappearing into the black of its socket, his gaze shifted into a glare and he shook you so hard that it knocked the back of your head against the wall. The impact bruised your scalp and made your vision blur, a fuzzy feeling buzzing through your head. And you stilled in an instant, squeezing your wet eyes shut as you readied yourself for the worst.

“N-no…” 

“_quiet," _he growled, making you flinch. “... just cut it out…”

Despite the way your heart pounded through your chest and threatened to plunge you into a full-blown panic attack, you did as he asked… you had no other option… 

Exhaling a shaky breath that almost made him seem _ nervous, _he bored into you, shrunken crimson hue flickering like wildfire as he pressed you firmer against the cold, metal wall. 

“... what didja think you were doing...?” he inquired darkly, a droplet of sweat streaking down his skull and splashing onto your legs. “... i didn’t say you could die.”

And you just sat there and sobbed. Even now, Sans lacked the tiniest shred of empathy. He wouldn’t let you have control over the one thing that you should above all else.

_ Why... _

You didn’t know how long this went on... Sans continued to pin you against the wall but remained deathly quiet the entire time. All you could hear were his quickened breaths and a subtle yet constant rattle of his bones. 

Hair obscured your view as you hung your head, chest heaving, tears dripping from your eyes and splashing onto your legs. 

You refused to look at _ him_.

Another trembling breath left Sans’ parted mouth, and he released your wrists. You felt the brush of his hands against your back and you were pulled into him, forehead bumping against his hard, bare ribcage. Gasping, you pressed your hands against his chest, trying to _ get away_.

But his hold remained steel-tight, and your attempts proved futile. Just like always... 

_ … What’s the point... _

You gave up…

But not without noting that this time there was no nuzzling or kisses or other actions of affection. His head remained stiff and still, gaze unmoving and cast towards the wall. As though touching you had suddenly become a foreign concept. 

However, you were far too preoccupied to pay too much mind as to _ why_...

Taking a deep breath, you relaxed against him, gipping his ribs and sobbing. Just faintly, you could feel him begin to rub your back. 

Despite the goosebumps coalescing where he touched, you would be lying if you tried to say that it wasn’t comforting to some degree, but… you just wanted to be away from him. You wanted to _ die_. To be free from this _ hell. _

But it seemed he would never let you have that.

_______

You smelled… something.

It smelled good… delectable even. A bit spicy, like jalapeños, yet smooth and rich. Your mouth began to salivate and you blearily opened your eyes.

You were… in bed, no longer in Sans’ embrace it seemed - although that was the last thing you remembered. Had you passed out at some point?

Your head propped up on a pillow, you were messily covered in all of your blankets. It seemed that every single one of them was draped over you in one manner or another, despite untidily so. Even his blue coat, although still soaked in blood, was lying atop the pile. 

And, standing out the most, you were no longer wearing that heavy iron collar. You had to touch your neck multiple times to confirm, and found that you indeed weren’t imagining it – it had been removed. You winced as your fingers brushed across an especially tender bruise on your neck. 

So Sans’ magic didn’t heal everything…

...

This had to be some kind of trick…

There was no way Sans would be this nice to you - not without expecting something back. He had proven today that he truly was a _ monster_… that he didn’t love you at all.

This was _ definitely _a trick, an add-on to his long line of sadistic jokes. 

With a heaving groan, you sat up…

… And nearly screamed when you spotted the monster himself sitting mere feet from you. 

But he was… sleeping?

Slouched against the wall and head drooped down, his bony eyelids were closed, mouth slack and parted as soft snores escaped him. 

Yep... he was asleep.

He looked so… gentle. In fact, you had never seen him look this peaceful. Even when he was in a good mood, he always had some degree of tenseness to him. But now? There didn’t appear to be a single rigid bone in his body.

He almost looked like a different person.

...

Why hadn’t he left like he usually did? Was he… worried about you?

…

No, no, that couldn’t possibly be it.

While you stared, a fleeting thought passed your mind as you realized… he left himself open to you. 

You could… try to kill him.

You had no idea how you would go about such a thing, but you had a hunch that his soul was his weak spot. 

… The option was there… hovering right between your eyes… and potentially your only shot…

Your heart rate skyrocketed at the prospect.

…

…

You didn’t want to… 

…

That spicy, rich scent invaded your nostrils yet again, and your gaze left Sans to rest on the bowl of what appeared to be chili sitting next to the bed. It was a sizable portion, far larger than what he usually gave you. 

You also pointedly noticed that all of the plateware and utensils were plastic or made of something equally non-sharp now. From the white, styrofoam the bowl holding the chili to the black, plastic spoon dipped into it. Next to it sat a red, plastic cup, adjacent to the now fully filled bowl of water.

Despite the way your stomach rumbled, you were hesitant to touch the food… you presumed it was for you, but Sans had yet to give you permission and you didn’t dare wake him up to ask. You knew all too well how he was about food and weren’t about to do something that would entice him to torture you further.

The water, however… you wasted no time dunking the plastic cup into the bowl, filling it up and gulping it down. The act of swallowing burned your throat, but the soothing feel of the cool liquid rushing down your esophagus was worth it.

“the soup is getting cold… eat it.”

You jumped at the deep voice, dropping the now-empty plastic cup and eyes darting to rest on Sans, who was now awake. He appeared drowsy, his bony eyelids still drooped over his sockets, posture slack and pupils flickering dully… but his gaze was zoned in on you.

You cast him a wary glance and then looked back at the chili. 

“don’t make me ask again.” He shifted his jaw, tensing. “... eat it.” 

You could tell he was trying to act composed, his tone was oddly aloof yet commanding... but he was unable to mask the exhaustion that coated his voice. 

Why was he so tired? Does he just have a hard time waking up?

Nonetheless, you did as you were ordered - it certainly wasn’t a difficult order to follow. Grabbing the now mildly cool bowl of chili, you began to shovel it into your mouth. 

… It tasted nothing short of magical. Smooth with a spiciness just right, rich yet not overpowering. The moment you swallowed the first bite, the pain in your throat dulled followed by a gushing warmth invading your body. 

You wolfed it down and in no time at all, the bowl was empty.

Setting the styrofoam bowl to the side, you carefully touched your throat, hissing as you found that the bruises still throbbed upon contact. 

It felt so good to not have to wear that collar any longer though…

“... i did promise i’d take it off,” Sans spoke as though reading your mind, giving a small yet stiff shrug. “... figured it was best… considerin’…”

He gave a rigid nod towards your battered neck, sockets seeming to droop with the action. 

Biting your lip, you glanced at Sans and then proceeded to stare at the floor, hand leaving your neck to fall slack to your side.

_ This _ ** _has _ ** _ to be a trick. _

Sans sighed, scratching his skull - the grating sound making you cringe. 

“didn't have enough magic to spare to heal ya all the way... you were almost dead... but that food was infused with a high concentration of magic,” he mumbled, “more so than the usual foods… might not fix it completely, but should help you feel better...”

“Why do you care…” you croaked out. “You tried to kill me… why couldn’t you have just let me die?”

“… be quiet, human.”

“No!” You launched at him, grabbing the sleeves of his shirt. “I-I thought you were doing this because you _ loved me _ or something but that’s not true, is it?! You don’t actually care about me! I’m just a toy for you to abuse and discard when you get bored, aren’t I?! Well, what are you waiting for?! Just do it! Just kill me! Kill me! Kill me! _ Kill me! _”

Your voice began to crack towards the end, infuriated shouting quickly dwindling into desperate begging. “_Please_…”

Sans remained silent as you ranted and begged, his red hue hauntingly still. It was only when you began to smack weakly at his chest did he grab your shoulders, claws puncturing the fabric of your shirt as he pushed you away. 

A fearful whimper found you, silencing your angered pleading in an instant.

The next thing you knew you were being forced onto your back, him looming above as he straddled you... bones rigid and grip sharp, that red hue shrunk to a slit...

… And you tensed, heart racing as you feared _ what he might do _… but at the same time, a small part of you hoped he might initiate something… <strike>if he had sex with you, that meant he loved you… right?</strike>

But he didn’t.

Instead, he narrowed his gaze on you before growling through heavy pants, “... _ don’t _ ask me that again.” Small beads of sweat formed on his skull. “you’re _ mine _ and i don’t want you to die-“ he exhaled another huff- “you’re not allowed to die… you _ can’t...” _

“now stop _ talking _ and _ rest_.” He pushed your shoulders once into the mattress for emphasis. 

Getting off of you, he took a moment to pull the blankets over your form before returning to his slouched position against the wall, stiff eye-lights watching you like a hawk.

All you could do was shake as you remained frozen in your prone position, a sob threatening to rip past your throbbing vocal cords.

_ How can he be so selfish... _

… But still, you did as he asked and forced your teary eyes shut. 

Exhaustion found you quicker than you expected.

_________

The next several days passed by with a blur.

Or had it been weeks? Or months…? You didn’t really know…

You cracked your eyes open.

Grey walls invaded your vision.

...

… You hated those damn walls… you _hated_ this situation_._

Hot breath rustled your hair, almost making you jump before you noticed the skeletal hand looped around your waist. You were pulled tighter against the clothed ribcage pressing at your backside. 

Sans hummed, nuzzling into your neck, the claws at your abdomen twitching and the smoothness of his teeth gliding across your skin as he murmured something unintelligible.

You craned your neck to look at him, finding no glow of red in your peripheral as his eyelids were shut in his slumber, the same serene look you had grown accustomed to as of late greeting you.

He looked so… kind… 

It was deceiving. 

… And yet, things _ were _ different. Specifically how he treated _ you. _And you weren’t certain if it was a kindness or not. 

Despite not leaving your side ever since your attempt on your own life, he hadn’t touched you in a sexual way… not even once.

… In fact, he barely touched you _ at all_… the cuddling currently occurring was an anomaly compared to how things had been lately. Dare you say, you wondered if it was an accident - earlier he had been sleeping on the complete other side of the mattress, as though you were made of fire. 

It made you wonder what was wrong. This behavior was so unlike him. 

Did you smell…?

…

...

Was he really losing interest in you…?

…

_ No… _

He had been with you _ constantly _as of late, only leaving for brief periods to collect food. It seemed he wasn’t even going to work. 

He slept next to you… took care of you… 

…

Even if it wasn’t… _ sexual… _that meant he loved you, right…?

...

Did you want him to love you…?

…

Maybe this was his way of making it up to you for what he had done before… maybe it wasn’t a trick…

… But the change in routine was jarring. 

Not to mention, along with his strange behavior, he was acting as though the soul bond he initiated never even occurred. He hadn’t spoken of it _ once. _

Your parched throat tingled as you eyed the water bowl sitting next to the bed. Despite the magical food he fed you, it still ached with an unbearable frequency. But you didn’t dare move, not with him so tightly wrapped around you. Waking him risked angering him… and in some sense, his hold on you was… _ comforting… _

Safe… secure…

You almost… wanted more of it. Wanted him to hold you closer… hold you tighter… <strike>maybe even kiss you like he used to</strike>...

A trembling sigh leaving you, you settled into his arms and drifted back to sleep. 

You would take what you could get.

_______

“drink this, was finally able to get more for you.”

Sans shoved a glass full of liquified green magic towards you, some of it sloshing out onto your lap. It was tingly and hot on your skin... similar to his magic.

<strike>It felt nice.</strike>

You took it without fuss and looked to him, a part of you desiring reassurance from him that it was _okay_. 

Sans returned your glance with a rigid one of his own, but he still spoke in a soft tone, “it’s alright… same type of magic that i gave you before, i ran out so had to get more made.” He paused to take a deep breath before pointing to your neck. “should fix those bruises… green magic is much better at healing than my magic.” 

You nodded, forcing out a rough, “Thank you,” before gulping down the magical drink.

Just like before, your body grew numb and tingly within seconds - specifically the regions of you that had injuries, such as your neck. Your heart thrummed as the haunting feeling threatened to lure in a panic attack, flashbacks of time's past echoing through your mind… a part of you even anticipated to look up and find an axe in his hand. 

But… you trusted that it would heal you. 

Minutes passed with you and Sans sitting in silence. 

Sans barely even looked at you…

...

Heart rate picking up, you once more found yourself worrying that he was losing interest in you…

Your throat began to grow numb, soothing the pain. Clearing it, you worked your tongue around your dry mouth before daring to speak, “... How come… your magic doesn’t heal like that? Are magic types different?” 

The words came out as a raspy slur, but you managed them.

You weren’t certain why you felt the need to ask such an unnecessary question. The answer shouldn’t matter to you… but you… you felt the need to talk. 

… You wanted Sans to speak to you like you mattered…

Sans’ red hue swiveled from the wall to you. And he stared for a long moment before resetting his jaw with an awkward twitch of his bones. “... yeah there are different types of magic, each type does different things… red, green, purple, blue, and more… my magic is blue: gravity-based magic, so while it can heal a bit when doing something as intimate as… soul mating…” He seemed to grimace when saying this word. “... it doesn’t have the same healing properties as green magic…” 

While you were confused as to _ why _ he was acting so uncomfortable… his explanation made sense, considering whenever he used his magic on you it would feel as though gravity had increased. That weighted, _ crushing _feeling...

Your lungs threatened to constrict at the recollection, heart thrumming and chest growing heavy… 

But you reminded yourself, _ he promised not to do that if I behaved. _

… Maybe… maybe when he starved and strangled you before… it was because you did something he didn’t like…

Maybe it was your fault that he was acting so aloof now… 

…

You would be better for him. He would go back to normal if you were good… right…?

“after you tried to … ya know… i wasn’t tryin’ to get pleasure out of touching your soul… i just wanted to keep you alive… promise...” 

He huffed and again averted his gaze, the smallest hints of blue tinging his cheekbones.

“... I know…” 

Even if he was acting strange, he saved you from the brink of death… he _ wanted _you to stay alive.

… That meant he still cared about you… right...?

… right…?

His eye-lights returned to you, and you noticed that he seemed to relax some. “heh… ya know… it’s funny… you’ve noticed that i’m heavy yeah?” 

You nodded and the smallest of smiles etched on his face. 

“well, that’s all magic, blue magic users can make themselves seem heavier than they are. i actually don’t weigh that much at all - i’m only made of _ bones _after all.” He huffed out a short laugh.

“That’s… interesting…” You returned his smile with one of your own. “Thank you.” 

Sans paused and shifted, red hue briefly engorging before shrinking back to normal size. “so i gotta question for you now since we’re on that route.”

“Okay…” 

“... your parents, how’d they die?” 

You froze. Luring back awful memories seemed to be a theme of today, and this was no exception.

At your hesitation, Sans added on, “your useless ex-boyfriend isn’t the only thing i saw in your memories… i saw your parents too and that something happened to them, along with that dust in your apartment... been curious for awhile. “ 

“I…” You opened your mouth and then closed it, gut twisting.

You didn’t care to speak about this subject at all…

But… as your soulmate, you supposed Sans deserved to know… 

<strike>It was _exhausting _to continue hating him.</strike>

And so, you swallowed the lump on your throat before forcing out the words, “I… it was an accident… I guess there was a leak in their house… carbon monoxide... due to a faulty appliance or s-something.” 

You inhaled and exhaled. “They both died in their sleep that night... they probably didn't even notice anything wrong. Funny thing is I was supposed to visit them that week, but I decided to stay with my... my ex instead.” You let out a bitter laugh, perhaps at the irony of the situation. “I probably wouldn’t be here if I chose to go see them…” _I wish that I **had **chosen that option...  
_

“B-but then I always feel like maybe if I _did _v-visit, I would have noticed something wrong and... and maybe they would still be here." A sniffle found you as tears bubbled at the edges of your eyes, guilt wrenching at your insides. "I miss them… I was really close to them before… before...”

You couldn’t bring yourself to finish the sentence. Perhaps it sounded childish or pathetic, but even into adulthood your parents were your closest friends… you had never been good at connecting with people, but they were always there for you in your loneliest times. Not a single day went by where you didn’t think of them. 

Sans flinched before lifting a hand to wipe away the lone tear that fell from your eyes. But he pulled away quickly, as though your skin had become caustic… 

… It left you feeling… empty…

“yeah... i know… i saw that this wasn’t the first time you thought about pulling the stunt like you did last week…” 

_ It’s only been a week...? _

_ Huh… _

His eye-lights grew sharp. “but i’m not gonna let you die. not… _ ever…” _

You bit your lip. “... Because I’m your soulmate…?” 

At your remark, Sans’ bones grew rigid, red hue dwindling to a speck. And you shrunk back against the wall. 

… What did you do...? 

But then he took a deep breath. “... yeah… cuz we’re soulmates…” 

His words seemed so tense and… _ forced… _

Unanswered questions of what had occurred during the soul bond Sans initiated still lingered in your mind. It was always on the tip of your tongue to ask…

… Ask him why you didn't feel anything despite him telling you that you would… why he just _ left _after the deed was done… why he hadn’t spoken of it since...

Considering he seemed to be teetering on the edge of losing his composure again, you wisely kept your mouth shut on the subject matter. But… you still wondered _ why...? _ And why did you admitting that he and you were soulmates anger him…? Didn’t he _ want _ that…? Didn’t he _ want _to bond with you and be with you…? 

** _What changed?_ **

Confusion stirred within you and you once more came to the conclusion that it had to be something you did... maybe you hadn't been satisfying him enough or maybe _you _did something that hindered the soul bond.

You began to mull over ideas of how you could _fix this... _

... But you were swiftly distracted from your thoughts when Sans said something that almost made your jaw drop.

“... sorry for calling you a whore.” 

Your eyes widened. _ Wha…? _

Sans scooted closer, crimson light quivering around the edges as he leveled his gaze with yours. “i saw some of that too… in the visions…” He cleared his non-existent throat. “... it's not your fault... i know you didn’t wanna do it. i know you did what you had to do to survive - i can relate to that, so… sorry…” 

Did he… really mean that…?

“... Thank you…” you mumbled. 

There was an odd flutter in your chest that you didn’t know what to make of. Maybe he did still love you…?

Another bout of silence graced the room, only the buzzing of the single dim light on the ceiling audible. Sans broke it with the heave of a sigh as he stood.

“i’m gonna go for a bit, i’ll be back with food. you okay here?” 

You offered a slow nod. And as he turned to leave, you forced out the words, “... I love you…” 

You weren’t certain if you meant them… there was still a fire that burned within you that _ hated _ him, that wanted to see him _ dead_… but…

… But…

… You really wanted to hear him say it back to you… you _ needed _him to confirm it… 

…

He didn’t.

He stared at you for a long moment, ruby hue so large that it threatened to pop out of its socket.

And he left. 

Your stomach dropped and you felt like you had just been slapped.

Why...? 

What did you do wrong...?

Tears stung your eyes and you forced yourself to lay down, settling into the blankets and willing yourself to sleep.

…

…

…

When you awoke, Sans still wasn’t there. 

… But next to your bed was a take-out box filled with food and a pile of your favorite books. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I don't normally like to do exposition in author's notes, I feel the need to remind everyone that this is not a romance and that the MC's line of thinking is quite unhealthy right now. 
> 
> Thank you so, so much for reading as always!! <3 you all and have a fantastic day/evening/morning! <33


	27. Sans: Denial

The trip through the void was a long one today.

In fact, they had all been long as of late. The abyssal darkness was oddly cathartic to collecting one’s thoughts. If it wasn’t for the fact that remaining within it for an extended period was harmful to his health, he would stay for hours. 

Weeks had passed since the revelation that changed Sans’ life… since you had… had…

… Since you had tried to leave him in a way he didn’t anticipate…

And Sans couldn’t erase you from his mind. When he was awake, all he could think of was you - wondering if you were okay, the clawing urge to check up on you… just _ you _in general… 

<strike>You were being so sweet to him. He wanted _ more_</strike> _. _

And when he slept? You plagued his dreams as well, including many less than savory dreams that he wished he could cease. 

It had… been a while since he had been intimate with you…

<strike>He missed it. </strike>

Even just the thought of it brought on a buzz of magic, but he purposefully remained within the void, the eternal frigidness of the zone dowsing any arousal with ease.

As strong as the urge was… he had to control himself. He couldn't have sex with you... he shouldn't _love_ you.

You were just a pathetic human that he should have no desire towards. 

...

...

No… you weren’t pathetic. You weren’t a whore either... you weren’t any of the things he used to call you...

... He was the pathetic one. 

… He was a bad guy… 

...

He pushed you to try to kill yourself... 

…

...

He still wasn’t certain what to do about you. All he knew was that he couldn’t let you die… 

And that’s how he found himself traveling back to your apartment. To pick up the pieces and erase evidence for when your lease ended. He tried to tell himself that he had to do this to protect both himself and his brother… it could be life-ruining for them both if someone were to discover what he had done.

… But deep down, he knew it was because he planned to keep you. 

Despite knowing the necessity, he had been procrastinating on his research into how to break the partial soul bond…<strike> because he didn’t want to undo it. </strike>

The moment he materialized within the dusty interior of your unit, he wasted no time in getting to work. He cleaned up any evidence he could find, including a few droplets of blood that he had missed the first time he sterilized the apartment. 

Your cat was at his heel all the while, meowing and demanding of food. During the time Sans had ignored you after the revelation, he had neglected the cat as well… and he felt a little bad.

If your cat died… you might be pushed over the edge again...

But fortunately, it was still alive and well, despite being quite upset after the fact. 

He took a moment to pet the animal and remove the collar that marked it as yours, before snatching it by the scruff and tossing it into the pet carrier. 

Sans didn’t want a cat… but Papyrus had thrown the idea of getting a pet around more than once. He even browsed the animal shelter listings on a weekly basis. 

This could both take care of one of Sans’ problems _ and _be an early birthday present. 

The cat yowled and complained at being locked in its jail. Sans flashed it a look before setting the carrier to the side until he was ready to leave. 

Pupils scanning the apartment, he searched for anything he had missed.

_ already brought her the books_, he thought to himself as he eyed the now-empty bookshelf. If he kept you happy… you wouldn’t try to leave him like you had tried to again…

He had to make sure he brought everything that was important to you. 

His gaze found the ashes that still rested atop your bed. Your parents’ dust… 

Without giving it a second thought, he tucked the two urns into the forgotten suitcase atop the bed, along with the remainder of your clothes. He zipped it shut before setting it next to the cat carrier. 

He went down his mental list… he had cleaned out your belongings and food… erased evidence… 

The furniture could stay - he saw in your lease that unwanted furniture could be left in the apartment, at the repercussion of its removal cost being taken out of the security deposit. That was fine. Sans didn’t care about that. Less work for him. 

Doing one more once over of the apartment, he found himself satisfied with its state. Sure, he could be lazy and forgetful at times - Papyrus was never wrong in his accusations of that. But if Sans wanted to be thorough, he could be _ thorough. _

Exhaling a huff of breath, he moved to collect the suitcase and pet carrier with the intention of shortcutting home. 

… That is until he heard a loud knock at the door…

Sans froze, contemplating ignoring it and teleporting away. Whoever it was would just leave after no one answered, right? 

But…

He should probably check to see who it was. If someone was snooping around, he needed to know. After all, this couldn’t be the apartment cleaners - your lease hadn’t officially ended yet. 

Bones turning rigid, Sans moved to the door, leveling a single socket with the peephole. And he gritted his teeth together so hard that he risked sawing them down when he saw who it was…

There, right outside the door, with short, dark curly hair cut close to his scalp, tanned skin, and a tall stature, was that damn ex-coworker of yours.

Brian was his name if Sans could recall.

The guy who had been messaging you constantly on Facebook ever since Sans had taken you… the guy who simply wouldn’t accept Sans’ answers sent while masquerading as you…

… And now he was here. At _ your _apartment - well, soon to be ex-apartment.

What the _ fuck _did he want? 

“Hey, you in there?” He called your name from behind the door, giving another knock. “You told me you skipped town, but you’ve been acting strange so I checked with your landlady. She said you still had an active lease… please open up. I’m worried about you…” 

_ shit... _

Should Sans ‘take care of him’...? 

Killing again… it would be risky…

<strike> _ who cares? just do it. pierce a bone through the door and into his heart. protect her. don’t let him take her. _ </strike>

“I know you’re there. I can hear your cat... I thought we were friends…? Why won’t you tell me what’s going on? Why did you lie and say you were leaving town?” Again, Brian knocked on the door. 

A bead of sweat dripped from Sans’ skull, head pounding as though it might split in half. Why couldn’t this human just mind his own fucking business? 

_ … Why _did someone who was supposedly just a coworker care so much about finding out where you were…?

He nudged the carrier, growling at the feline to _ “keep quiet.” _

And when the third knock came, Sans snatched the cat carrier and suitcase before teleporting away, knowing all too well that if he remained, that human wouldn’t be alive for much longer.

He needed to _ think. _He needed time to decide what to do.

_ don’t act rash, _he told himself as he passed through the void.

Although that was more of a challenge than he could have ever imagined. 

_ _____ _

Rays of spring sunshine illuminated the otherwise dark interior of their house, the open windows allowing the light breeze to whistle inside. The sounds of some reality show on TV echoed in the background, but neither skeleton was paying much attention. 

Sans stood with a proud grin at the doorway as his brother gushed over the surprise present. 

“SANS IT’S ADORABLE - WHAT IS ITS NAME?!” Papyrus squealed as he hugged your cat against his ribcage, much to the dissatisfaction of the feline who was struggling to escape his hold. 

“oh, uh, i dunno it didn’t come with one - it was a stray, just found him wandering around downtown. came right up to me so figured i’d take it home.” Sans scratched at his skull. “think it's a boy though, so pick a name for him.” 

“DO NOT WORRY! THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL THINK OF A MARVELOUS NAME FOR THIS EXCEPTIONAL CREATURE!” 

At this point the animal had given up trying to flee the constricting grip of Papyrus and simply resigned itself to being pet aggressively on the head.

“heh, good… take good care of him. you know i’m not the best of taking care of pets, so i’m countin’ on you, bro.”

“OF COURSE! I WILL GIVE IT THE CARE IT DESERVES. AND I’M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU ARE FINALLY ADMITTING YOUR SHORTCOMINGS BROTHER! IT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.” Papyrus set the cat down, which dashed away to hide underneath the kitchen table. He leveled his eye-lights with Sans and planted his hands on his hips. “I SURE HOPE YOU ARE A BETTER BOYFRIEND TO THAT GIRL YOU’VE BEEN SEEING.”

“uh... yeah... been tryin’,” Sans spoke, shuffling his feet and already finding himself wanting to shortcut away to escape this conversation.

_ ugh... here it comes… _

It seemed that every conversation Sans had with Papyrus was related to you in one manner or another. Papyrus just… wouldn’t… drop it...

“SPEAKING OF WHICH - WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO INTRODUCE ME? I’VE BEEN TRYING OUT A NEW SPAGHETTI SAUCE RECIPE JUST FOR THE OCCASION!”

No way… Sans wasn’t ready for this… he needed more time. “... paps, she-” 

“-AH! I HAVE THE MOST STUPENDOUS IDEA! YOU WILL BRING HER OVER THIS SUNDAY! THE STORE CLOSES EARLY AND I HOPE SHE DOESN’T HAVE A JOB THAT REQUIRES HER TO WORK WEEKENDS!” 

“not sure that’s going to-”

“NONSENSE! YOU WILL BRING HER OVER SUNDAY OR I WILL JUST HAVE TO FIND OUT WHERE SHE WORKS AND INTRODUCE MYSELF THAT WAY!” 

A proud grin split across Papyrus’ jagged maw - one that told Sans that his brother was _ not _ about to take no for an answer. The thought crossed Sans’ mind that he _ could _tell Papyrus that you and him had broken up… but despite his brother not having the most acute sense of smell, Sans knew that Papyrus would still smell you on him.

He would know.

_ welp... _

“okay bro, i’ll bring her over on sunday. make sure you have your best spaghetti prepped for her.” Sans returned the grin with forced one of his own and winked. _act natural... don’t let him find out. _“gotta make a good first impression.”

“WHO DO YOU TAKE ME FOR, SANS? I WOULDN’T DREAM OF ANYTHING LESS.” 

______

  
  


Sans picked up a deli sandwich and a bag of chips from the store for you today. Being that he was able to heal you with green magic, he figured you would be okay without magic-infused food. Besides, a sandwich was a food you hadn’t had for a bit, might be a nice change of pace. 

After shortcutting into your room, he spotted you in the corner, bundled up in blankets and your nose in a book. 

His soul thumped at the sight of you using the things he gave you. 

You were happy… because of something he did…

<strike>That was all he ever wanted.</strike>

But upon noticing his arrival, you set the book aside and turned your attention to him. “... Hi Sans…” 

“... the hobbit?” he questioned as he eyed the title of the book you were reading.

“Yeah…” You offered a small smile and glanced at the book. “It’s one of my favorites… always enjoyed fantasy books.”

Sans couldn’t help the grin that split across his face. “i’ll bring you more.” After a pause, he added on, “... you like superhero movies…? it’s kinda like fantasy and the new marvel movie just came out on netflix… we can watch it if ya want.” He gave a thoughtful hum as he moved to crouch in front of you. “course i already saw it in theaters with my bro - he loves those types of movies. but i’ll watch it again with you.” 

“... Sure… thank you…” 

“here, eat this.” He set the sandwich and bag of chips in your lap.

Silence graced the two of you as you ate and Sans watched you. Despite his guilt, it was becoming easier to look at you again. And even now, you still looked so… perfect… beautiful…

<strike> _ Stars_, he adored your smile. </strike>

His magic pooled in his pelvis and he flinched. He wanted to...

_ what’s wrong with you? this is just a random human. _

<strike> _ a human that you love__. _ </strike>

He cleared his nonexistent throat, forcing his magic away and giving his socket a quick tug. There was an issue he needed to discuss with you… 

“so... tell me about brian…” 

At his remark, the chip that was scissored between your lips fell into your lap, your eyes turning into saucers. “W-what...?” You gasped, flinching before hurriedly picking up the chip and eating it. “S-sorry! Didn’t mean to drop it!”

Sans huffed, bones tensing. “glad you finally learned not to waste food… but you haven’t answered my question.” 

Shit, was he being too harsh…? 

“I… um… Brian is… is…” You sniffled and blinked a few times. “..._ Please don’t hurt him_… you told me if I c-cooperated, no one else would be hurt...”

Wait… why were you acting so attached to this guy…?

A coarse exhale left Sans as he grit his teeth together, his constant headache growing near unbearable. “and that'll remain true if you do as you’re told,” he growled, brow twitching. “so _ answer the question. _” 

You paled, a fearful squeak slipping past your lips. And Sans felt his soul twist… okay, maybe that _ was _ a little overboard. But he needed to know. He needed to _ fix this. _

He _ needed _ to keep you. 

If you had some _ secret feelings _for this man, Sans deserved to know. Soulmate or not, love or not, he was partially bonded with you. <strike>You were his.</strike>

<strike> He deserved your undistracted affection. </strike>

“S-sorry… um, Brian is my old c-coworker…” Your voice was small, eyes focusing anywhere but him. “He worked in the back, as a cook… so you probably never saw him…”

“heh... i suppose that makes sense.” Sans made a clicking sound before humming, “almost seems like he might be more with how insistent he’s been about contacting you.”

“H-huh…? He’s trying to…?” You furrowed your brows... and then widened your eyes as realization seemed to dawn on you. “No, no, he’s not anything to me! We were barely even friends! He was just a coworker, I _ promise _ … please, please don’t hurt him! I love _ you. _”

Sans felt his soul thump. He wanted to say it back… _ i love you too… _

He didn’t.

… Could he really believe you? 

You let out a sniffle, followed by a sob as tears began to leak from your eyes, your breaths quickening as though you were having a mini panic attack. “... Please don’t…”

_ fuck… did i push too far…? _

_ fuck, fuck, _ ** _fuck._ **

Another tug of his socket ruptured pain through his skull. 

His bones rattled as he scooted closer to you and wiped the tears from your cheeks. The need to _ comfort _and placate his throbbing soul raged within him. “shhh... it will be fine…” He tilted your chin up to force you to look at him. It was okay to touch you in a non-sexual way, right? “... but i need you to look me in the eyes and tell me he doesn’t mean anything to you. you always look away when you lie.” 

If you… weren’t his soulmate, then Sans wouldn’t be able to tell if you were lying or not by checking your soul. He had to trust you and you alone. 

And Sans knew all too well how much you loved to lie. 

… That time before when he checked your soul… were you lying then too…?

...

You swallowed visibly, your sobbing ceasing but you still continued to sniffle, a small hiccup escaping you. “He…he doesn’t mean anything to me. I love _ you_, Sans… only _ you… _”

Again… you said it. And… you… didn’t look away…

Was it true…? 

Sans’ soul swelled to the point of bursting through his ribcage. The way you looked at him, gaze unwavering...

… It had to be…

You loved him… you really… loved him…

<strike>And he loved you too.</strike>

His pupils hovered over you, eyeing the gold engagement ring on your finger - the human tradition he had followed for your sake, before trailing up to the location of his mark on your shoulder. Although it was obscured by clothing… <strike> stars, he wanted to look at it. </strike>

His fingers unintentionally began to stroke your chin. He had forgotten how soft you were...

And finally, his eyes rested on your chest… where the most important part of you was kept. What made you _ you. _

Your soul…

Your soul that he was potentially permanently linked to…

The combination of joy and bitterness that swirled within him at the thought was something he didn’t know what to make of. 

<strike> Maybe… it doesn’t matter if someone is your true soulmate or not… </strike>

After all… it’s not uncommon for two people who were not soulmates to be together. Humans did it all the time, not to mention widowed soulmates who then go on to bond with someone else or those that chose to part ways like Asgore and Toriel. 

<strike> He could still… complete the bond with you. Still be happy with you… </strike>

He was interrupted from his thoughts when your voice sounded again, small as could be, “... Y-you’re my… _ soulmate…” _

And he paused. Of course you said that… you _kept _saying things like that.

His bones grew rigid. He _ could _ be with someone who wasn’t his soulmate… but the souls of soulmates were supposed to resonate the strongest with each other, to be _ perfect _for each other. 

Nothing could match the strength of a soul bond between soulmates.

_ soulmates... _

_ soulmates... _

He ground his teeth together, prompting you to flinch. Did he really want to settle for second-best…?

_ soulmates... _

Maybe he should tell you the truth...

…

… But you seemed so convinced…

...

… Maybe… you _ were _his soulmate… maybe the bond was misleading him… 

You seemed to love him more now, after all… just like what was supposed to happen after a partial bond. Maybe you felt something he didn’t…? 

His soul swelled at the sheer prospect of this.

Bones relaxing, Sans grinned, a flicker of his magic buzzing through the room. “good girl.” He released your chin, claws finding your leg and clicking against it. “tell you what - i won’t harm a hair on his head… but you gotta do somethin’ for me.”

It’s not a terrible thing if he just makes a deal with you, right? He didn’t plan to force you to do anything _ bad _like before… 

You blinked… one… two… three times… “Y-yes, anything…” 

_ perfect. _

“my bro… he wants to meet ya.”

Your eyes widened and again you looked to your lap. “Oh… okay…”

“yeah, and i’ll tell ya now - he doesn’t know anything about our little arrangement here.” He gripped your leg harder, leaning in close. “so when you meet him, you won’t breathe a _ word _ of what happened. you will memorize the story i tell you, and you will act the part. one slip up? then i guarantee _ brian _ won’t fare too well.”

A means to an end... he was doing this to keep _you _safe. <strike>To keep you with him. </strike>

“O-oh…”

His claws tapped against your leg once more, his soul thumping as he found himself unintentionally leaning towards you. “so... whaddya say, human? can you do that for me?”

Your eyes turned glossy… and you nodded. “Yes… I’ll be good, I-I promise… just please leave Brian alone… please… you said you wouldn’t h-hurt anyone else…”

Sans exhaled through his nares. “he’ll be _ fine _ so long as you hold up our deal…” He stood, stretching his bones with a pop before tucking his hands in his pockets and re-focusing on you. “it’s in two days… i’ll bring you some stuff to get all prettied up the day of. for now, you better finish eating that.”

Sans nodded towards the unfinished sandwich in your lap, and a small squeak escaped you as you hurriedly picked it up and stuffed a bite in your mouth.

He would never let you go hungry again. 

“hey… don’t worry… just be a good girl and it’ll be fine. promise.” He offered you an easy grin upon noticing your worried expression. “gonna leave for a bit, prolly won’t be back until tomorrow. you okay for the day?” 

You seemed to quiver as you looked at him, but after a brief pause, you spoke, “Sans…? U-um… I guess there is something…” 

“what?” 

“You called me… _ human _ … why don’t you call me, you know… the _ names… _anymore?” 

At your words, Sans felt his soul twist, bones stiffening and the edges of his sockets twitching. Even this small movement from him made you flinch.

However, Sans was far too distracted to pay much attention to this.

The names…

The _ names _…

Sweetheart… precious… honey… sweetie… love… beautiful...

All of his old names for you. The names he had meant with every fiber of his being… the names he had used to express that endearment towards you…

The names you once claimed to _ hate… _

But now… you wanted it…? 

You stared at him, eyes wide and almost seeming… _ eager… _

_ … _Hopeful…

<strike> His sweetheart. </strike>

Sans huffed, skull pounding as he once more felt his magic pool at his pelvis. Shaking his head, he forced it away. _ fuck… _

** _Not…_ **

** _His…_ **

** _Soulmate…_ **

What was he thinking before? The soul bond didn't mislead him. You and he were _ not _meant to be together. 

“don’t question things that don’t concern you, _ human.” _

Without another word, he left.

... But the doubt that swirled within his mind only served to make his headache roar stronger...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited to say that Dreadwing has made an audio read version of this story and chapter 1 can be found [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afNtVb6nNxo). Be sure to check them out! They have a nice collection of audio reads from Undertale and other stories on their channel. 
> 
> And of course, thank you so much for reading as always! Sorry for the kinda slower chapter this week, but next time we get to meet Papyrus (for realzies)! Wonder how that will go...
> 
> <3 you all and have a fantastic day/morning/evening!


	28. Dinner

_________

You stared.

...

Your reflection stared back. 

But it may as well not be your reflection at all. You weren’t certain you recognized the person in the mirror.

Sunken cheeks, tangled and brittle hair - overgrown to the point that your bangs obscured your face, skin so dehydrated and dirty that it made you look ten years older than you were.

You _ had _lost weight, but it was a small relief to see that meat still existed on your bones… even if it was minimal...

A tremble wracked your body at the sight and you had to resist the urge to lurch forward and smash the mirror, but you managed to remain composed. Sans was feeding you more now… he was taking care of you…

You wouldn’t always look like… _ this… _right…? 

... Your soulmate wouldn’t let that happen… 

… Right…?

...

You only hoped that your mate still found you attractive… 

<strike> You wished he had just let you die. </strike>

“don’t just stare, get dressed - my bro is expecting us soon.”

The rumbling voice of your mate himself brought you back to reality, making you jump as your eyes darted to look at him. 

Sans stood behind you, a small grin playing on his face, yet it was contradicted by the way his red hue was shrunken to a trembling dot. He almost seemed… _ nervous. _"he’s making his favorite - spaghetti. he can’t wait for you to try it. just remember…” His sockets darkened. “you’ve never tasted it before.”

Right… you could do that…

Wetting your dry lips, you nodded.

Your eyes drifted to the colorful dress crumpled up on the ground. Its design modest, it had an array of yellow sunflowers atop a blue background. Perfect for spring. 

… Was it spring now…? Or summer…?

You supposed it didn’t matter...

Heat rose to your face as you stripped yourself of the baggy, male clothes that you typically wore… but you weren’t certain if it was due to the embarrassment of being naked in front of Sans or because you anticipated him to react.

It was… rare… for him to see you naked and not try to feel you up in some form or another.

Every inch of your skin seemed to burn and you covered your bare chest with your arms… but still, you paused before putting on the dress, glancing at him out of the corners of your eyes… feeling almost… _ hopeful… _

_ If he touches me does that mean he still loves me…? _

_ … _

_ Please touch me… _

<strike>_ No_**_… _ ** what were you thinking? You didn’t _ want _ him to touch you. You _ hated _him. </strike>

** _Liar. _ **

Your headache roared, ears ringing for a brief moment. And you could feel his eye lights searing into your back, red glowing in your peripheral and the air in the room growing denser with each passing second due to the heaviness of his magic…

… But he didn’t make a move… didn’t say a word…

...

...

… He didn’t touch you either… 

Your stomach _ dropped… _ but you tried to ignore the whiplash of rejection and picked up the clothes off the ground. Undergarments came first, followed by the tights that you noticed covered the scars on your left leg. Lastly, the dress was pulled over your body on top of it all. 

A shaky sigh leaving you, you flattened the dress on your form as you inspected yourself in the mirror. It hung loose on you… but it fit. You took note that it had long sleeves and a collar that clung to your neck to hide the magical mark on your shoulder. It was much less revealing than a typical dress. You presumed that was intentional.

You understood why.

You spared a hesitant look at Sans behind you. His grin was rigid, hardly a true smile, and his ruby hue buzzed as he noticed your staring. He whizzed out air through his nasal cavity. “you look… pretty… keep going.”

Although his words seemed forced, they still made your chest swell, a small thump finding your heart. Maybe he did still find you attractive…? 

Nodding, you got to work on putting on the makeup Sans had brought you and brushing out your hair. The headband he provided prevented your bangs from obscuring your face when all was said and done. 

But no amount of makeup could hide the sunken look of your face. Nor your swollen, bloodshot eyes. 

You wondered if Papyrus would notice…

...

Would Sans punish you if Papyrus noticed? Would he hurt Brian? Would he hurt _ you? _

_ No, no, no, no, no. _

Your heart pounded, chest constricting and limbs suddenly feeling numb and wobbly. You were _ trying _ … you were _ really trying… please _don’t let this go wrong!

A fit of hyperventilation hit you.

** _Please. _ **

You didn’t even notice that you had begun to claw at your face before Sans grabbed your wrists and yanked them away. Leveling his gaze with yours, his grin dropped to a frown.

“you better not pull this shit when you’re around paps.” 

You flinched at his harsh tone, a small whimper forcing past your lips, and Sans released your wrists so quickly it was as though you had burned him. He sighed and scratched his skull. “... hey… sorry… didn’t mean it like that. just calm down, okay?”

“... I’m scared…” you admitted with a sniffle.

A bony finger found your chin, tilting your head up to look at him. He was grinning again, tense as it was. “... you got nothin’ to be scared of… you’ll like my bro, promise…” He made a clicking sound. “while he doesn’t have a _ funny bone _on him, he’s the nicest monster you’ll ever meet.”

Sniffling again and wiping the wetness from your eyes, you nodded. “Y-yeah… I remember when I met him… before… he was nice…” 

Sans’ grin softened into one more genuine. “that’s my bro for ya.” He released your chin and stepped back. “though he can be quite the _ sternum _when he wants to be.”

Sans chuckled at his own pun and you cracked a small smile, laughing quietly. Though you didn’t understand _ why… _the joke wasn’t funny…

… But maybe if you laughed he would go back to being normal. 

_ Please, please go back to normal. _

“heh, he’s quite observant of anything within his _ radius _ too...” Sans winked. “… so better take this off, don’t want him to get too ahead of himself.” Sans slid the engagement ring off your finger and pocketed it, still smiling wide at you. “... it'll be fine. just be a good girl… you’ve been _ such _a good girl lately, i know you can keep it up.”

His words of encouragement reassured you more than you expected.

_____________

This wasn’t the first time you’d been to Sans’ house, nor was it the first time you’d seen the outside of it.

But it _ was _the first time you’d seen the outside during the day, as Sans had decided it would be best to introduce you at the front door to his brother instead of just popping into the house with magic.

… It was also the first time you had been outside of your <strike> prison </strike> room in months…

You blinked, wobbling and stumbling forward out of dizziness from the teleportation as Sans let go of your shoulders. A part of you was excited to see the sun again, but… you certainly didn’t remember it being this _ bright. _It was near-blinding. 

Eyes squinting, you tried to take in your surroundings. Neatly trimmed, green grass blanketed much of the yard, the outskirts surrounded by the thick of trees you recalled seeing the night you tried to leave Sans. But the field somehow seemed smaller in the light of day.

The house itself did indeed look like a stereotypical old farmhouse on the outside - worn red paint paired with a dark trim. In the distance was the small building you recognized as your <strike> prison </strike> room… the disaster shelter. 

But standing out most of all… in the driveway, there was a red mustang.

The same one you saw the night you ran. The same one you had hidden from. This all but confirmed your worry at the time that this car belonged to Sans or his brother. 

Your gut twisted at the memory, only further contorting when you recalled that night at your old workplace, which now seemed like years ago, when Sans had claimed not to own a car.

<strike> _ He lied__… _ </strike>

… Where would you be now if you had responded to that situation differently...? 

…

...

If you had... you might not be here... you might have never found your soulmate - or even realized you had a soul at all...

There was so much stuff you didn't know before.

... Sans _had_ lied in the past, but... he hadn’t lied to you as of late… maybe at the time it was just a means to an end, because you didn’t understand your connection to him back then… 

<strike> Did you understand now…? </strike>

...

...

Sans shifted before taking your hand and guiding you to the door. And despite how rough his fingers were, it felt nice… almost _ comforting… _to have him touch you like that. 

But you were still nervous. You _ couldn’t _ fuck this up. You _ couldn’t _let someone else die because of you. Brian was innocent; Brian didn’t deserve to die. You had to protect him. 

... You had to be a good mate for Sans...

Exhaling through his nasal cavity and giving you one more warning look out of the corners of his sockets, Sans knocked on the door. “bro…? we’re here.”

Thundering footsteps shook the house before the door swung open, hitting the wall with a clatter. The monstrous skeleton you recognized as Papyrus stood in the doorway, so tall that he had to lean down to get under the frame. His jagged-toothed maw split into a grin, eye-lights seeming to twinkle, and he abruptly grabbed your hand and shook it so hard that it jostled your entire body. 

“HELLO SANS’ GIRLFRIEND! I’M SO GLAD MY LAZY BROTHER FINALLY BROUGHT YOU OVER! THOUGH HE NEGLECTED TO TELL ME THAT WE HAVE MET BEFORE! YOU ARE THE HUMAN THAT PERUSED OUR STORE THAT ONE TIME! ALTHOUGH…” Papyrus pulled back, thumb and index finger stroking along his bony chin before resuming his rambling, “YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’VE LOST WEIGHT - TOO MUCH WEIGHT! WELL, NO MATTER! I HAVE PREPARED A PASTA OF UTMOST CULINARY EXCELLENCE FOR YOU TONIGHT SINCE APPARENTLY MY GOOD FOR NOTHING BROTHER WON’T EVEN BUY HIS GIRLFRIEND SOME FOOD!”

Papyrus turned on his heel and dashed off into the house the moment he finished his speaking, not giving you or Sans a chance to respond. You weren’t prepared for how _ loud _ and _ fast _he spoke, his speech pattern jarring compared to what you were used to with Sans and his booming words hammering at your already pounding head.

Your heart thrummed in your chest, like a fluttering bird frantic to escape the cage of your ribs, your hands numb and almost quaking. You barely even noticed when Sans grabbed your wrist and led you into the house, that hellish red burning in your peripheral and his grip near crushing. 

But you were far too distracted to pay much heed to that…

Papyrus _ noticed _ that you had lost weight, he even commented on how Sans was taking care of you… did Papyrus _ know _despite Sans claiming he didn’t…? 

Your mind raced with worry… would Sans be mad at you because of this? Would he punish you? Would he kill Brian? Hurt you? 

_ No, no, no… _

_ I can’t do this. _

_ I can’t do this. _

_ I can’t do this. _

** _I want to go back to my room!_ **

Your throat locked up as though a hard rock had been shoved down it, making you choke and prompting Sans to glance at you.

“heh... what’s wrong?” he ground out in a hushed whisper, wiping away small beads of sweat that had formed on his skull. “you better _pull it together_**… ** _ don’t _fuck this up for me. you just gotta last a couple hours and i’ll take ya back.”

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you nodded, blinking away the tears that threatened to form and taking a deep, shaky breath. 

_ Breathe in… _

_ Out… _

_ Calm down… _

Through your blurred vision, you scanned the vicinity. The interior of the house looked as though it hadn’t changed a lick from the previous time you had been there… aside from the glaring lack of holiday decorations, which created a much dimmer and less rainbow-esque lighting. The large, flat-screen TV mounted atop the red brick fireplace was on and playing some reality show that you weren’t familiar with. 

The fireplace below was alight with a flickering flame, warming the immediate vicinity. Across from it, the glass coffee table was still there, paired with the brown sectional leather couch. You shivered, recalling being chained to that table once… and without even thinking about it, you rubbed your neck, subconsciously expecting to feel a metal collar there. 

But there was nothing… Sans was kind enough to remove it for you… just like he had promised. _ That _wasn’t a lie...

… You felt that you could trust him…

You… believed him when he promised not to hurt Brian if you behaved…

_ ... _

Sans led you into a room you had not been before, which contained a rich, oak-wood dining table surrounded by four chairs of a similar make. The scent of burning and tomatoes grew more prominent along with the sound of sizzling and boiling water, which made sense when you looked towards the kitchen to see Papyrus busying himself over the stove. Thick, red juice was splattered about the stovetop with an assortment of pots and plates decorating the counters.

Sans offered you a tense grin before motioning for you to sit down at the table, the way he pulled the chair out for you almost _ gentlemanly. _

You weren’t certain what to think about the way your stomach flipped at this…

Was he doing that because he loved you… or just to pretend in front of his brother…?

Your heart thudded in your chest, breaths once again growing uneven and you focused your mind in an effort to calm them. 

_ In. _

_ Out. _

“hey bro, it almost ready?” Sans strolled into the kitchen, leaning against the counter to watch his brother cook. 

But you could still feel him watching you out of the corners of his sockets all the while, that red hue of his smoldering like wildfire. Sweat slicked your palms and you hurriedly wiped them on your dress… but despite your efforts, the fear of Papyrus noticing drenched them even more. 

“IT WILL BE READY SHORTLY SANS! DO NOT RUSH PERFECTION - I KNOW YOU FIND TAKING SHORTCUTS AN APPROPRIATE MEANS OF GOING ABOUT LIFE, BUT THE GREAT PAPYRUS KNOWS THAT FOLLOWING EVERY STEP IS NECESSARY FOR THE CULINARY ARTS.” Papyrus didn’t even look back as he spoke, continuing to frantically stir the spaghetti sauce as though it might explode if he were to stop.

”heh, course, our guest is quite excited to try out your cooking for the first time.” Sans winked and then cast you a glance, his crimson light quivering for a few seconds. 

You knew what he meant… another warning to _ keep up the charade _ … _ or else… _

You were _ trying_. But as you sat, fidgeting in your chair, it turned out to be far more difficult than you had expected. You knew that if you were to raise your arms, both skeletons would see that your pits were soaked, so you kept them clamped to your body while you wound your fingers together in your lap. 

You recalled how you used to _ pretend _ back at work… put on a happy personality and smile in the face of customers. It was something you were good at… it was something that netted you decent tips, even if it was always fake. A distant memory almost lost to the void of your mind now… but you remembered, back then it was _ easy _…

Sans too… you were able to fool him before, if only for a short time. It was difficult, but you managed… even if you did learn your lesson to never do that again. 

<strike> Did you…? </strike>

_ Yes. _

You would never be fake to your soulmate again… 

Sans deserved better than that. 

… And now… pretending now felt like a foreign act… one you couldn’t organize your mind well enough to accomplish. Your thoughts were jumbled and incomplete, like a puzzle missing pieces. How were you supposed to keep it together…?

_ How? _

_ How? _

** _H o w ?_ **

Everything felt wrong… you didn’t know what you needed… what you wanted…

It even crossed your mind that you could try to _ tell _ Papyrus about your situation… with the way Papyrus was acting and how Sans seemed so nervous about this visit… you had come to the conclusion that Papyrus didn’t know… <strike> didn’t know of the torture… the rapes… the kidnapping… the murders… </strike>

What would Papyrus do if you told him…? Would he try to save you…? Defend Brian?

… Or would he look the other way to protect his brother…? 

…

A gamble… but still... freedom felt within reach…

… More so than ever before… 

…

…

...

_ I can’t take the chance. _

Not only did it risk Brian’s life but… 

… How could you return to the outside world with how you were now…?

How could you live without Sans? 

He was your _ soulmate… _ your one and only. Even if nothing else made sense now… you understood _ that. _

** _You loved him. _ **

You didn’t want to be free anymore… all you wanted was for Sans to love you back…

_ That _was what you needed. 

...

** _…_ **

You swallowed the knot in your throat and tried to compose yourself. 

You had to do this.

_ Breathe… _

You could do this.

You _ would _ do this.

… Not only would Brian be safe, but Sans would love you back if you did… right...? 

Two birds… one stone...

“SANS! HOW RUDE! YOU HAVEN’T EVEN OFFERED YOUR LADY A DRINK YET!” 

Papyrus’ booming voice broke you from your jumbled thoughts and you jolted, staring wide-eyed at the larger skeleton. 

Heart jumping to your throat, you hurriedly moved your mouth to form words, “A-ah! No, it’s okay Papyrus. I’m fine, really!” 

You didn’t miss the way Sans tensed as you began to speak… but once you finished his bones relaxed, and he let out a small chuckle. “nah, he’s right. sorry… sweetheart… i’ll getcha somethin’.” 

Breath hitching, you froze, your chest swelling. _ Sweetheart… sweetheart… _

He called you… sweetheart…

He hadn’t called you that, or any pet-name, in what seemed like ages.

Did he mean it…? Were things going back to normal…? 

Or… was he still putting on a mask in front of his brother…? 

...

… No… no… it felt so _ genuine… _it had to be…

Sans would have just let you die back when you attempted it if he didn’t want you anymore… right…? So he had to feel _ something _… 

_ Please _ let him still love you… _ please… _

<strike> _ You’re pathetic. _ </strike>

Once more, your head throbbed. 

Your eyes remained laser-focused on Sans as he moved about the kitchen and grabbed what a can of soda out of the fridge. His jaw curved into a tight grin as he cracked it open and set it down next to you. Stroking a hand over your scalp, he leaned down and brushed his teeth across your forehead in a chaste kiss.

“need anything else, sweetheart?”

Your mouth went slack for a moment, the slightest bit of heat rising to your cheeks… and you shook your head. “I’m good… thanks...”

Sans sat down in the chair next to you, slouching into it and crossing his arms. His pupils constantly danced between you and his brother, and while it was rare for Sans to _ not _watch you when you were within his vicinity, it was clear there was a special scrutiny now. 

_ Papyrus definitely doesn’t know… _

The evening went by unbearably slow, with Papyrus frequently trying to make conversation with you… asking you about work, your home life, family…

You answered the questions to the best of your ability… trying to _ pretend _ that you still had that life and hadn’t spent the last year living in that <strike> prison </strike> room. Even despite being on the verge of tears, you managed… and Papyrus seemed none the wiser to your predicament.

It was _ always _on the tip of your tongue to let it slip and tell him… 

<strike> You _ should _ tell him. </strike>

But you couldn’t do it…

You didn’t _ want to_. 

The spaghetti was about what you expected, burnt and hard… you had eaten it many times before. But still, you did as Sans ordered and pretended it was the best thing you had ever consumed… _ pretended _it was the first time you had ever tried it. 

Papyrus was over the moon about this. It almost made your chest swell at just how large and _ happy _his grin grew when you said so. 

Papyrus seemed so innocent and kind… it was strange to be around that type of behavior now...

And Sans… he never let you out of his sight the entire evening. Even when you had gone to the bathroom, he insisted on accompanying you. That quivering red iris of his was always burning into your back. 

As though waiting for you to slip up…

Waiting to punish you… to _ kill _because of you…

But you toed the line.

You would make him happy. That was what you lived for now. 

Still, the ever-encroaching trepidation of potentially making a mistake made your heart pound through your chest… made your body grow numb and threatened to hurl you into a panic attack. You felt claustrophobic, _ smothered, _even though there were only two other people around you.

… And you quite nearly did break down when dinner finished and Sans led you into the living room, only for Jingles, _ your cat _, to come running to your side. When you sat on the couch, the orange feline hopped up next to you and rubbed against your arm, a rumbling purr vibrating his body as you stroked him.

_ He’s alive… _

_ He’s alive… _

_ Why is he _ ** _here?_ **

“heh... i gave it to my bro,” Sans whispered after plopping onto the couch next to you. “told ya i’d keep my word about letting it live if you behaved … you’re doing good… keep it up, just a couple more hours.”

“WOWIE! HE REALLY LIKES YOU!” Papyrus remarked as he entered the room after finishing the dishes. “YOU MUST HAVE A WAY WITH ANIMALS!”

“Y-yeah… cats have always liked me,” you lied, keeping your eyes focused on Jingles. You swallowed as you blinked, forcing away encroaching tears… but you couldn’t help the nausea that roiled in your gut.

Still… this meant Sans had kept his word.

He spared Jingles like he had promised...

… You really could trust him now...

“ARE YOU FEELING OKAY?” You looked up to see Papyrus staring at you. “YOU SEEM SICK! I DID NOT THINK IT WAS HEALTHY FOR HUMANS TO LOOK SO SWEATY.” Papyrus inched closer, inspecting you with clinical proficiency. 

Your heart raced and you awkwardly shifted your jaw. He wasn’t wrong… you _ did _ feel sick. You _ always _felt sick to some degree. But Papyrus couldn’t know that. Taking a deep breath, you opened your mouth to speak… only for Sans to cut you off.

“she’s fine paps… remember i told you she gets a little shy in social situations? maybe be a bit less upfront and loud so she feels more comfortable.” Sans scooted closer to you, leaning forward as though to shield you from Papyrus’ sharp gaze. 

“NONSENSE! IT IS BETTER TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE SO I WILL GO GET HER SOME MEDICATION!” 

Papyrus dashed off up the stairs before anyone had a chance to react and Sans heaved a sigh. “my bro is great… really… don’t know what i’d do without him. but he does go a little overboard sometimes,” Sans remarked with a chuckle. You felt the smoothness of bones on your forehead, hard fingers wiping away the sweat that had accumulated. “fortunately i already told him you have social anxiety, so he should buy that… but keep it together, yeah? you’ve pulled this masquerade game before, don’t get why you’re having such a hard time doing it again… hope you aren’t forgetting what’s at stake...” His gaze darkened, red hue shrinking and a bead of his own blue sweat streamed down his ivory skull and splashed onto his coat. “... cause i won’t hesitate if you mess up.”

The words were like daggers in your ears, making you tense further. Angering Sans wasn’t a good thing… it was _ never _ a good thing… you had to _ do something _. 

Sans sighed again, his crimson light widening to its usual size. “hey... shhh, shhh…” He began to pet your head, stroking his hands up and down your arms. “don’t freak out on me… you’ll be _ fine… _ that stupid human will be _ fine _ as long as you _ keep it together_… be a good girl… i’ll even buy you a present for being good. maybe a new book…?” 

You sniffled… and nodded.

_ Right… right… _

_ Keep it together… _

If he’s petting you, that means he’s not mad… right…? 

You could find the gesture soothing as long as that’s what it meant. 

Buying you presents… that was also a good thing...

_ Can you tell me you love me now? _

<strike> _ Stop… you don’t want that… _ </strike>

_ Yes you do... _

Sans pulled away, although he kept his arm slung across your shoulders as he began flipping through channels on the TV. Jingles had settled into your lap at this point and you tried to focus your breathing as you pet him. 

_ In. _

_ Out. _

Papyrus returned a few minutes later, a familiar bottle of green liquid in hand. “FORTUNATELY, FOR MY BROTHER’S LADY WE ONLY HAVE THE BEST! LIQUID GREEN MAGIC HEALS EVERYTHING!” His maw split into a proud grin as he poured the glowing green liquid into a small glass and handed it to you. “DRINK UP! I KNOW SANS SAID YOU’RE JUST SHY, BUT THIS SHOULD HELP YOU FEEL BETTER EITHER WAY! … AND REALLY - THERE IS NO REASON TO BE NERVOUS! I KNOW MY GREATNESS CAN BE INTIMIDATING, BUT YOU ARE MY BROTHER’S GIRLFRIEND AND AS SUCH AS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO SPEAK TO ME ABOUT ANYTHING.”

“R-right… thanks Papyrus…” you mumbled as you took the glass. _ Sorry Papyrus… I can’t tell you everything. It’s for the best. _You cast a hesitant look towards Sans, who gave a small nod… queuing you in that it was okay to drink. So you did. The magic felt tingly as it ran down your esophagus, but you had been through this song and dance many times before… you trusted it. 

Snatching the remote from Sans - who released it without protest - Papyrus sat on the other end of the sectional couch, pulling up what looked to be a standard Hallmark romance movie. “I RECORDED THIS JUST FOR THE OCCASION!” he announced, “IT WAS RECOMMENDED ON THE INTERNET! AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE GREAT IDEAS FOR COUPLES. JUST DON’T CANOODLE ON THE COUCH WITH ME HERE.” 

“wouldn’t dream of it bro,” Sans replied with a yawn, tightening his grip around your shoulders and pulling you flush against his ribcage. 

The movement resulted in Jingles leaving your lap in favor of Papyrus. And while you missed the warmth of the feline, you allowed yourself to cuddle closer to Sans… savoring his heat… feeling the soft buzz of his magic against your skin… relishing in what you had been missing as of late...

It felt nice...

… You needed this... 

Sans’ claws drummed against your shoulder all the while, eventually turning into stroking… and you found your eyes drifting shut as you laid against his chest. The sounds of the TV grew distant… the crackling and popping of the fireplace almost melodic… the warmth of the heat licking your body soothing...

The liquid magic had cured your nausea and seemed to also chase away your anxiety with how relaxed you had become.

… Or maybe it just felt good to receive affection from Sans again. 

But as you began to nod off, you jolted awake.

…. Were you allowed to sleep?

Would it upset Sans? Would you get punished? Would Brian be…? 

But Sans merely chuckled, claws tracing up your back to re-adjust your headband. “tired, honey?” 

You shivered as goosebumps prickled your skin at his touch before giving a small nod, murmuring, “Yeah… sorry…”

It felt nice to hear him call you that… _ honey… _

It felt _ right. _

<strike> Was it really right though? </strike>

“heh, it’s alright.” Sans stretched his arms, popping his bones, and looked to his brother. “hey bro, think we’re gonna take off… she’s gettin’ a little sleepy.”

“AWE! BUT THE MOVIE WAS JUST GETTING TO THE GOOD PART!” Papyrus lamented, “BUT SHE REALLY DOES LOOK LIKE SHE NEEDS HER BEAUTY SLEEP!” Papyrus looked to you. “NO OFFENSE, BUT YOU LOOK AWFUL! IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG? ARE YOU _ SURE _MY BROTHER IS TREATING YOU RIGHT?”

Your blood turned to ice in an instant.

_ … Oh no… _

Once upon a time, you might have been insulted by such a comment. But now…

… Now… there was just… _ fear… _that clawing, clenching feeling of pure panic in your gut as you found yourself unsure _ what to do. _

Papyrus just kept prodding and _ prodding… _and you were running out of excuses. 

All you knew is that you had to defuse this… _ somehow _ … you couldn’t let him find out… you _ couldn’t. _

But Sans came to your rescue, answering for you, “hah hah, very funny, bro. she’s just had a long week... that’s why we’ll be heading out now.” Sans stood, pulling you up by your arm with him. “thanks for cookin’ for us. i’m gonna take her home so she can get some shut eye.”

Papyrus picked up Jingles and set him to the side before standing. “OF COURSE I JUST JEST.” Papyrus shifted his glinting eye-lights to you. “AS I’M SURE YOU ARE AWARE, SANS IS ALWAYS MAKING THESE AWFUL PUNS. IT IS ONLY FAIR THAT I GET MY REVENGE.”

“O-oh...” was all you could manage. 

You felt Sans squeeze your bicep tighter at your vocalization, sharp claws pushing at your skin, 

“... HOWEVER, A GOOD, PROPER SLEEP IS ALWAYS AN OUTSTANDING IDEA. SO I THINK YOU SHOULD DO THAT.” Papyrus grinned at you, leaning down slightly so he was more level with your height. “I’M SURE IT WAS AN HONOR FOR YOU TO FINALLY MEET ME PROPERLY. I HOPE MY BROTHER WILL NOT NEGLECT BRINGING YOU AROUND IN THE FUTURE - YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME IN THE HOME OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!”

“course paps… as long as you got the _ backbone _to deal with us,” Sans quipped, his arm against slithering around your shoulder and body pivoting as though to hide you from his brother. 

“NYEH! SO LONG AS THERE ARE NO SCANDALOUS ACTIVITIES PERFORMED IN MY PRESENCE, THE GREAT PAPYRUS CAN HANDLE ANYTHING.”

“eh, sure, might be tough though… considering i always got a _ bone- _er.” Sans winked.

“AND BAD PUNS! NONE OF THOSE EITHER!”

“what’s wrong, bro? don’t find me _ humerus?” _

“UGH! JUST LEAVE!” Papyrus stomped once, making the entire house shake. “YOU USE THAT ONE WAY TOO MUCH SANS - BE MORE ORIGINAL!” 

“heh... i’ll try… but _ tibia _ honest there are only so many _ bones _i can use.” 

You could practically see the steam whizzing out of Papyrus’ skull as he fumed. But Sans didn’t give his brother a chance to respond before vanishing, bringing you with him. You managed to catch one more glance at the hazel eyes of your cat staring at you from the couch before the surroundings faded to darkness. 

The trip through the void felt unbearably long as normal, your head spinning the entire time… and while the motion threatened to make your nausea return, you managed to keep your composure as you hit the floor of your <strike> prison </strike> room. 

Traveling with Sans was much easier than it used to be.

Heart thrumming, you took a jagged breath and held it as you looked to Sans. _ Did I do what he wanted…? _

You exhaled that breath when his jaw split into a grin, chuckling as he released you and then ruffled your hair. His red hue flashed, pupils seeming to dance. 

“gotta say, it was close there a few times… but you did good… heh, you even got to see your cat again - wasn’t that a nice surprise?”

“Y-yeah...”

A grin still planted on his face, Sans led you towards the mattress and made you sit down. He continued to stand over you, that crimson eye quivering. 

And you swallowed, forcing yourself to ask despite your clawing anxiety screaming at you not to. “... So Brian is…?”

You couldn’t even finish your phrase, your mouth too dry to form words. 

“yep, you did as you were told, so he’ll be fine.” His grin widened and he winked. “just keep being a good girl and he’ll _ always _be fine… as will you…” 

_ Be a good girl… _

You could do that…

You nodded at him before rising to your knees and inching forward, running a hand along his pelvis through his shorts. _ Will he form it…? _

Sans froze, red hue engorging so large that it filled its socket. He twitched, jaw tensing… and then he snatched your wrist and yanked your hand away. 

...

_ … Why…? _

You thought… he would want this… ? That it would make him happy_… _that it would make him love you.

When he stood over you like this in the past, that was usually what he wanted…

… Why not now…?

_ What changed? _

Sans reset his jaw, his words coming out forced, “listen… there’s somethin’ i gotta tell you…”

You perked up at this. And Sans continued… 

“we’re not…we’re not…” He paused, exhaling harshly through his nares. “_fuck.” _

Dropping your hand and turning away from you, he swore again, his bones beginning to shake. “... it doesn’t make sense… _ it doesn’t make sense… _why do i…?” He tugged once on his eye-socket. “... does it even matter…?”

Another tug. A sickening crack echoed through the air and a trickle of blood rolled out of his socket. It splashed onto his coat… _ drip… drip… drip... _

Whimpering, you inched away, flattening your back against the wall. 

_ Why… why…? _

You didn’t _ understand _why what you had done pissed him off. 

** _What were you doing wrong? _ **

You squeezed your eyes shut when he whipped around and advanced on you. The sensation of magic grew heavy in the room, and you anticipated to feel it crushing your chest next…

... Only to be wrapped into a hug by skeletal arms and pulled into his hardened, coat-covered ribcage. His claws clutched your back so firmly that they threatened to break skin, bones near-trembling, but you didn’t resist his hold. 

“it doesn’t matter… it doesn’t matter…” he murmured against your hair, nuzzling you and smearing warm, slick blood on your skin. 

_ What? _

What did he have to tell you…?

… You were too scared to ask...

“it doesn’t matter…” Again he repeated the cryptic phrase.

You shivered in his clutch and felt him inhale deeply, as though savoring your scent. The magical mark on your shoulder seemed to burn at the action… even your _ soul _seemed to burn and you wondered if that was the sensation you were supposed to feel from the partial bond.

“you’re _mine… my _mate... i love you, sweetheart… m'sorry i’ve been acting different, but i _get it _now…” A small, trilling laugh escaped him, grin turning manic and red hue coming close to spilling out of its socket. “... i love you so much, i love you **_so much_**_._”

He took a deep, shaky breath, shuddering bones clutching you firmer to his ribcage.

“... **_and i always will..._ **”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading as always! Chapter 29 will be uploaded next weekend, and the last chapter the week after that.
> 
> <3 you all, and as always, have a wonderful day/evening/morning.


	29. Sans: Connected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warnings** at the bottom this chapter. Make sure to check them if you think something might bother you!

Your apartment was bare; stripped to the bone. While there was never much there to begin with, it was especially vacant now. Soft rays of the setting sun seeped through the closed blinds, offering some light to the otherwise dark and dusty room. The only remnants of you having lived there were the bed in the corner, dresser and computer desk.

Everything else had gone in the trash. 

... Save for your parents’ ashes, cat, and computer of course.

Sans had dropped off the keys in the front office box during the late hours of the night last week to make it official. Although now he was finding himself wishing that he had held off.

Your apartment was the perfect lure. It was a risk to be here, considering the cleaners could waltz in at any time given your lease had ended. But it was after regular business hours, so Sans assumed that it would be safe.

Because he had business of his own that he needed to take care of...

… Brian… that damn, stupid human… 

Sans had tried… he really had _ tried _ to find another way around this… for _ you. _ He had promised you that he wouldn’t hurt Brian and he _ wanted _to keep that promise. 

But how could he when Brian intended to take you away from him…? 

Sans was left with no choice… he only hoped that it wouldn’t hurt you too badly… 

...

…<strike> Would it push you over the edge again? </strike>

With a grunt, Sans hooked a finger around his socket and yanked once. Pain split through his cracked skull.

No…

This was the only option. 

Brian was being excessively nosy... and he hadn’t let up. The threat he had sent yesterday about reporting you missing to the police if you didn’t meet him in person was a step too far.

Sans had to do something 

He _ needed _to keep you. 

Plopping onto the bed, Sans looked towards the burner phone he had bought and used to log into your iCloud to keep track of your messages. There was one new one from Brian…

** _‘Running late, b there in 5’_ **

Sans scoffed and deposited the phone back into his pocket.

_ gullible human. _

And as if on cue, five minutes later… Sans heard a knock at the door. 

“Hey… you in there?” The male voice sounded from the hallway. “It’s me, Brian.” 

Sans let out a light chuckle, the air whistling out through his nares. _ showtime. _

Despite the worry of hurting you… Sans would be lying to himself if he said he _ wasn’t _looking forward to this…

Oh, he wanted to rip this human to shreds. 

Rising from the bed, Sans sauntered towards the door, only halting when he heard Brian speak again.

“Please don’t ignore me again… I… I really miss you, and I have something important to talk to you about.” Again, he knocked and heaved a sigh. “I can hear you walking around in there. I don’t get why you called me over if you aren’t gonna open up.” There was a pause before he continued speaking, “Listen… I have to get this off my chest, so if you won’t let me tell you face to face, I guess I’ll just tell you now.”

Sans heard Brian take a deep breath from behind the door. “I like you… like, I really like you. I have for a long time, I just never said anything when we worked together cause I thought it was rude to try something with a coworker.” It was clear Brian was trying to speak with confidence, but his voice seemed to waver the longer he went on. “... But when you left - without even telling me no less, I just couldn’t let it go… I dunno, I guess I just feel some kind of connection towards you... I don't know how to describe it… please open up, let me explain more in person. This isn’t a ‘behind the door’ conversation.”

Ah… there it was.

That didn’t surprise Sans. You were… amazing…

Beautiful… kind… 

Just perfect.

But you were _ his_. Not Brian’s, not Jake’s… ** _his_ **… soulmate or not.

He _ loved you… _you gave his life purpose; you were his light at the end of the tunnel after years of darkness in the Underground. He would never let you go. He would never let another man have you.

**He couldn’t lose his happiness** **_._ **

Pain ripped through Sans’ skull and he whipped open the door, relishing in the way Brian’s eyes widened the moment he saw him. 

“It’s you… that customer…” Brian said, his jaw going slack.

All Sans did was grin. “yep.” 

A fire glinted in Brian’s eyes and he glared daggers at Sans, lips twitching into a snarl. He grabbed the collar of Sans’ coat and growled, “Where is she? You did something to her, didn’t you? _ Where is she?” _

Sans looked towards the adjacent apartments to check for witnesses before his pupils swiveled back to Brian, his crimson hue flickering red off of the human’s tanned skin. “don’t worry, pal… i’ll tell ya everything. but not here.”

Sans gripped Brian’s wrists, piercing his skin with ease and dragging him into the void.

Snow blanketed land and tall trees decorated in white came into view moments later. 

Tossing Brian, who had started dry-heaving, to the snow-covered ground, Sans stepped back. A gentle breeze rustled the forest and the familiar scent of pine swam through his nasal cavity. Letting out a small hum, he looked towards his old outpost several yards from his current position.

_ heh... not at all different. _

The humans had done some exploration of the Underground after the monsters had broken the barrier… but after finding nothing of use, the excavations had ceased. And the many buildings in the Underground, despite being worn due to age, remained untouched. 

Unwanted memories surged through his mind as he eyed the familiar structure… although this was mixed with a sense of odd reminiscence that he didn’t quite understand. 

“What the _ fuck _? Where did you bring me?”

Sans’ gaze darted back to Brian, who was now standing albeit the snow on the ground nearly rising to his knees. 

Sans’ only response was a shrug. 

“You know.” Brian huffed, his breath condensing into visible vapor. “I always knew there was something off about you, you were acting funny around her since the day you came to the restaurant. No one else believed her, but _ I _did.”

“good for you. want a prize or somethin’?” Sans chuckled, tucking his hands into his pockets. “i suppose’ i was acting strange, heh… love is confusing, right? … but it worked out, she’s happy with _ me _ now… just gotta get rid of _ loose ends_.” 

A tremble found Brian’s body, but that didn’t stop him from clenching his fists and snarling, “Even if you kill me, I’m not the only one that noticed how _ fucked up _your behavior was. Whatever you did to her, whatever you do to me… you’ll never get away with this.” 

Sans merely grinned. “i have for almost a year now, don’t see how that’s gonna change. i did what i had to… and she understands that now too.” 

Brian visibly bristled. “She’d never willingly be with a fucked up _ freak _like you. She was terrified of you.”

“shows how little you really know about her.” Sans clicked his tongue and chuckled. “in fact, she told me she didn’t even consider you a friend. heh, that really sucks pal, considerin’ you poured your soul out to ‘her’ back there.”

Brian twitched and Sans’ grin widened.

“... luckily for you, buddy… pal… you’ll never have to worry about her rejecting you in person.”

Glaring and squaring up with him, Brian advanced a step forward despite having to wade through the deep snow. 

“think you’re a tough guy? wanna fight?” Sans whistled air through his nasal cavity. “to be honest, i’m not a big fan of fighting, it’s exhausting.” His gaze darkened. “and just so you know, i could kill you before you even had a chance to blink if i wanted to. but i’m curious… you wanna stand up for a girl that doesn’t give a shit about you? go for it.”

Brian didn’t even hesitate before charging forward, albeit his movement inhibited by the snow. His teeth bared, he swung at Sans with a closed fist.

_ predictable. _

Sans shifted back, dodging the haymaker attack with ease. Although it seemed to be a strong swing based on the gush of wind that whizzed through his skull. 

Brian swung one, two, three more times.

Dodge. Dodge. Dodge. The display looked much like a matador taunting a bull at this point. 

“... What the… fuck…” Brian panted, stumbling back. “... is the deal with you monsters…? It’s like you’re Superman or something.” 

Sans shrugged. “maybe you’re just too slow.”

But despite his flippancy, Sans could feel the faintest beads of sweat forming on his skull. 

Fighting was so tiring… way too much work… 

… Why did he bother to entertain this human’s tenacity again…?

...

Should he just end it?

...

Brian again took a go at him. And although Sans could see the human heaving with exhaustion, Sans could also feel his own magical power depleting in his constant exertion as well.

_ can’t risk making a mistake, _he reminded himself.

A single well-aimed strike from a human _ could _be deadly… 

So when Brian once more took a shot at him, Sans shortcutted to the right and formed his axe in from a mist of blue magic. 

He swung low. 

There was a scream, and a thunk as Brian fell to the ground… streaks of fresh crimson staining the white snow… and the other half of Brian’s left leg laying a yard away while he clutched the bleeding stump. 

And Sans certainly wasn’t about to give Brian magic to heal that wound like he did with you.

“heh…” Sans rested the blood-covered axe on his shoulder. “good try, pal… but not good enough. alas, you’re no knight in shining armor after all.” 

_ Sans _was your true protector. 

Eyes glazed over and face paled a ghostly white, Brian didn’t respond as he seemed to go into shock from the trauma.

Stalking over to the immobilized human, Sans used his foot to roll Brian onto his back. Within the confines of his chest, Sans could see the blue soul brimming with vibrance… as though trying to fight for its owner. 

But it wasn’t going to save him.

“ya know, i gotta thank you...” Sans knew he was essentially speaking to himself at this point, but he didn’t care. Cackling, he dropped a heavy foot onto Brian’s chest - who wheezed in response. A wide grin split his face as he lined up the rusted blade of the axe with Brian’s neck before raising it up. 

“... i’ve always wanted my sweetheart to try out a head dog.” 

___________

“sweetheart, eat your food, you know being wasteful isn’t a good habit,” Sans reprimanded as he watched you pick at the bread of your hotdog bun. 

“Sorry, Sans… just a lot on my mind.” 

Lifting the hotdog to your mouth, you took a small bite.

“anything you wanna talk about?” At his words, you dropped the hotdog and moved your mouth as if to speak. Sans shushed you, grabbing the hotdog and pressing it against your lips. “finish eating first - remember, we’re trying to put some of that meat back on your bones. after that, i’m all _ ears _, heh.”

Sans pointed to his non-existent ears with a snicker. 

You offered him a small smile and nodded, grabbing the hotdog from him and consuming the rest of it. 

Sans grinned and scooted closer, resting against the wall next to you. He took your hand and stroked his fingers over yours. “what’s on your mind, precious?” 

“I just… you know I love you… right?”

A heated bounce rocked his soul at your words. “course i do, sweetheart. and i love you too.”

You swallowed. “... You… you never told me… were you able to get Brian to stop…? Is he… okay…? Last we spoke you told me he was still… snooping…” 

Visages of the bloodied remains of the human in question strewn across the white snow invaded Sans’ mind.

And his jaw tensed, threatening to extinguish the high in his soul. He _ did not _ like the way you spoke about Brian with such worry… but he couldn't tarnish this relationship, not when you were being so docile and _ good. _

… <strike>Did it push you away from him when he dangled the deaths of your friend and ex-boyfriend in front of you before?</strike>

...

<strike>Did he make another mistake now?</strike>

His skull throbbed, but he ignored it and forced a grin. “heh, yeah, i got him to back off.” He patted your knee before thrumming his claws against it. “don’t you worry your pretty little head, sweetheart - he’s fine.” 

What you didn’t know wouldn’t hurt you. 

You exhaled the breath you were holding in. “Oh thank god…” Biting your lower lip, you glanced at him. “I guess… I was worried… but I’ll be good, I promise I can keep being good!” 

A silent rattle found Sans’ bones. Again, you were expressing an alarming amount of worry towards this human. He didn’t like it. Not. One. Bit.

But that rattle of jealousy quickly shifted into one of surprise, his thoughts turning fuzzy and left to dangle when he felt the mattress shift with a squeak of its springs… you straddling his lap moments later. 

His soul flipped, a shaky breath escaping him as you clutched his shoulders. You drew a single small hand down the length of his ribcage. And even through his clothes, he could feel how gentle and _ soft _your fingers were. 

_ fuck. _

That was one of the best things about humans… the softness. That was one of the best things about _ you. _

You locked eyes with him. “You haven’t… tried anything for a long time. I’m not making you unhappy am I…?” A sniffle found you, your eyes growing the slightest bit wet. “Please don’t be unhappy… I can’t handle it anymore… I can’t… I can’t… l-let me… h-h-help...”

Your hand drew lower, making his bones tingle and shudder. And in an instant, magic surged to his pelvis.

“... you want to?” Sans questioned in a whisper. 

Because _ stars _ knows he wanted to. But he had promised himself that he would slow down... that he wouldn’t push you to do anything unless _ you _wanted to as well.

He would be better for you. 

You blinked a few times, swallowing… and then nodded. 

His breath stilted for a brief moment, and then he didn’t hesitate. 

The sound of ripping echoed through the small room as Sans tore your clothes from your body. They were left in tattered ribbons to be forgotten about on the ground. He exhaled a jagged sigh as he eyed your form, hands tracing your breasts and flicking at your nipples, before hastily pulling his erect cock from his shorts. 

He glanced once more at your face, watching with adoration as you bit your lip and stared down at his now-exposed crotch. Glee vibrated his soul when he noticed you spread your legs further, as though to allow him better access. Situating himself beneath you and gripping your hips, he guided you onto it, rumbling audibly as the head of it nudged between your folds. 

A groan shook his bones when he felt your walls hug him upon entrance. You were a bit dry… but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix. 

_ Stars_, you felt so good. 

And you were right. It had been some time since he’d done this with you…

… You had no idea how much he had missed it. 

His fingers kneaded into your hindquarters as you bounced on his lap, him making minute movements with his own hips in an effort to drive deeper into you. A quivering moan left you as you nestled your face into the crook of his neck, your hands clutching onto his coat for dear life. 

Your own movements were minor, allowing him to do the majority of the work… but you went along with it seamlessly; him feeling your hot breath against his cervical vertebrae as you panted. 

Sans again groaned, already feeling that pressure pushing at his crotch and swelling at his soul. It’d been so long… there’s no way he’d last until you got off. 

He slowed your bouncing, one hand leaving your hips to push your shoulders back. “lean back, sweetheart.” 

Letting out a jagged exhale, you did as you were told. Your eyes widened for a brief moment and Sans flashed you a reassuring grin. 

“don’t worry, honey, you’re doing good, you feel _ amazing _ … just wanna make sure _ you _feel good too.”

He trailed his hand down your shoulder, eyeing the blue mark on it and taking a few seconds to fondle your breasts before pressing the tips of his claws to your chest. Carefully, he guided your soul out, noting that buried within the center of the purple heart… there was a piece of his soul from when he had partially bonded with you.

Oh… he wanted to…

… <strike> Should he complete it? </strike>

“you’re gonna like this,” he assured you as his hand hovered below the purple heart. “just relax.”

He gave you little time to process the words before stroking two fingers along the gelatinous edge of your soul. 

You jolted in response, a cascade of shivers rolling across your skin and a stifled moan leaving you. The cluster of goosebumps that formed on your neck were more than satisfying to stare at. Sans continued massaging your soul while using his other hand to rock your hips against his cock, his movements gentle and slow. 

“feel good…?”

Lips quivering, you nodded, harsh pants continuing to leave your parted mouth. But… he didn’t _ really _need to ask you that… he could smell your arousal - musky and dense in the air. He could see the way you shivered and the sweat streaming down your forehead, mirroring the slickness that he could feel forming on his own skull. 

Sans tensed, breath hitching as he felt himself growing close yet again, the way your slick walls pulsed and hugged him making restraint a great challenge… but he tried his best to hold off until you finished first. And while he wanted _ so badly _ to watch your face as you reacted to his touch… he found himself unable to draw his gaze away from your soul.

Were you ready…?

…

<strike> Was he ready …? </strike>

…

_ You _ were acting ready.

…

<strike> But you weren’t his real soulmate … </strike>

…

That didn’t matter. He _ loved _you. 

…

<strike> You were _ human. _ </strike>

…

… Who cares about that?

...

<strike> But he lied to you to get here… he kidnapped you... </strike>

…

It was _ necessary_. 

Everything that led up to this point was necessary. 

You gasped, your walls shuddering around his cock as you rocketed into orgasm. And Sans felt his own bones shudder, cock twitching as he followed suit. A rattle found his bones as he exhaled the breath he was holding in. _ Stars, _it was incredible. Even just the feeling of you finishing with him… it was almost enough to make him want to try to go for round two.

But no… he had something more important to do instead...

Sans guided you off of his cock, allowing it to vanish in a mist of blue. 

… But he kept your soul out.

Propping you up against the wall, he positioned himself in front of you. A small hum left him as he petted your head. “that was amazing, sweetheart.”

You flushed red, short pants continuing to leave your parted lips, but said nothing.

_ so cute… _

His gaze shifted back to the gleaming purple heart that made up your soul. 

“so... we’ve had some time to let it sit… how are ya feeling…?” 

Your brows furrowed. “I’m… fine… I guess…?” 

“good, but i’m talking about our _ souls_... you didn’t already forget about what we did a couple months back, didja?” 

“O-oh… that…”

Sans stroked his hands up and down your arms. “i wanna complete that today.” 

Your gaze wavered. “Oh…” 

Something that did not go unnoticed by Sans. You weren’t thinking about _ Brian _ were you? His grin tensed. “what’s wrong sweetheart…? don’t you _ want _to be with me…?”

A sharp intake of breath found you and you answered quickly, “I do, I do. I promise I do. I love you so much, Sans.”

His soul hopping at your words, Sans relaxed his bones. “ready to make it permanent?” 

There was a pause, and you swallowed… followed by a slow nod. “... Yes…” A small series of trembles shook your body. “... W-what do I… do?” 

His breath hitched, soul swelling so large that he wondered if it would pop out of his ribcage. _ she agreed, she agreed, sheagreedsheagreedshagreed. _

_ finally… _

Uncertain how he managed to keep his eagerness contained, Sans took both of your hands into his and gave them a squeeze. “nothing, just gotta agree… i’ll do all the work.” 

Sans pulled his shirt off, wasting little time in withdrawing his own soul from his body - as far as it would go anyways. “granted, this is foreign territory for me too, so not certain what to expect... consider this a _ bonafide _new experience for the both of us.” 

He winked at you before pushing your shoulders firm against the wall. “hold still, honey.”

Lining his soul up with yours, he took a deep breath. _ may as well just go for it. _

_ … _

<strike>But should he…? </strike>

…

...

** He should. **

Resolute, he pushed his chest forward and allowed the two souls to engulf each other. And it wasn’t just a gentle rubbing like with soul mating, nor exchanging small pieces like with a partial bond.

Both souls, gleaming purple and pearlescent white, swallowed each other in entirety. 

Sans trembled and he could feel you doing the same as he clutched onto your arms. His magic flared, causing a thick mist of blue to surround you and him. A surge of memories and emotions found him… you as a child, your parents, your ex-boyfriend… meeting him for the first time…

Your fear… your desperation…

Wait...

Were you… still scared of him…? 

...

… Why did you do this then…? 

But Sans couldn’t find it in him to care as that memory faded to an overwhelming bliss that vibrated his bones and made his skull grow fuzzy like static on a TV. 

… But even this only lasted for a moment before it depleted to…

… Nothing...

The memories faded, the emotions faded… 

And his soul unlatched from yours.

…

...

Did the bond not work…?

Sans opened his eyes, gazing down at the two now-separated souls. 

They seemed to mirror each other. Discounting the fact that his was still inverted and engulfed by blue tendrils, both souls now held a gleaming pearlescent appearance, burning with brightness. Ripples of rich violet rolled over the otherwise colorless surface of them, giving that pulsating appearance that was so characteristic of your pre-bonded soul. 

So it was successful… and he still couldn’t feel your emotions or thoughts…

...

_ … why are you surprised? _

Sans supposed that this all but confirmed that you and he weren’t actually… soulmates...

He shook his head. That didn’t matter anymore. It was just a childish fantasy to begin with. 

He loved you. And you loved him back. _ That _ was the only thing that mattered.

… He loved you ** _s o m u c h. _ **

And he would be lying if he were to say that he didn’t feel different - his chest felt fuller, warmer… whether or not this was just his imagination he didn’t know, but he was still going to take it.

He would take _ anything _as long as it meant he got to be closer to you.

Sans took a moment to guide your soul back into your body before cupping your cheeks. _ Stars, _your skin was so soft. “feel okay, sweetheart?”

You nodded, blinking a few times before asking, “... Did it work..?”

He smiled at you, stroking his fingers along your jawline. “of course it worked, honey. i _ love _you.”

You bit your lip, but still said the words: “I love you too.” 

The warmth in Sans’ chest increased tenfold, threatening to burst through his ribcage. Leaning forward, he pecked you on the head and wrapped you into a hug. With a humming sigh, you relaxed into his hold, small hands clutching onto his ribs. Gently, he rubbed circles into your back. 

This was nice… relaxing... 

The silence that graced you and him was almost… _ soothing… _and for the first time in weeks, his head didn’t hurt. He didn’t keep track of how long he remained like this with you… it could have been hours. Your breathing was relaxed and constant, almost melodic… even the small flutter of your heart against his chest was a wonder to listen to. 

You were… _ alive… _and warm… and with him.

Always… _ with him... _

Sans wanted every day to be like this. He wanted to spend every waking moment of the rest of his life with his bonded mate and ** _never let go. _ **

You were ** _his_****. **And now… it was permanent. 

In fact, it was a great challenge to tear himself away from you, but a shiver from you cued him in that you were cold - you were still naked after all… and he wanted to take care of you; he _ needed to. _It almost felt primal at this point. With a heaving sigh, he unwrapped himself from you and stood, pupils hovering over the tattered remains of your clothes on the ground before returning to you. “heh, sorry for ripping your clothes... i’m gonna go get you some new ones. anything else you need? … more food…? more books…?”

You shook your head and Sans nodded, that wide grin still plastered on his face.

Everything worked out… all of his work, all of his efforts… all worth it...

_ my… _ <strike>** _soul_**</strike>**_mate… _ **

He couldn’t stop his expression from turning giddy. “be right back, sweetheart.”

**____________**

Nothing could match this high.

There was no drug potent enough, magical or otherwise, that could give Sans the rush he was experiencing right now.

He did it… he finally did it…

He was _finally_ one with you.

... So what if you were a little nervous about it? That moment of fear he felt from you before... it was probably just pre-bonding jitters. It would pass.

Because.... you _definitely _loved him back now. Yeah... yeah... you did... you did...

...

His precious mate…

When he had gone to get you a new pair of clothes, he couldn’t help himself from grabbing you more food and books even though you had said you didn’t need any. He wanted to shower you with gifts and love. To show you how special you were to him.

You were perfect. 

And he would always make you happy. 

In fact, Sans wondered if Papyrus would notice if he spent the night with you tonight. That was what newlywed humans did, right? It was only logical that Sans did that with you. 

Speaking of which… where was Papyrus…? He should have been home by now…

Sans wandered around his house, the old floorboards creaking with each step. All lights were off, all electronics were off… and upon further inspection, Sans found that the cat was missing as well.

Did Papyrus go somewhere with the cat…?

…

As if answering his thought, the front door swung open and then slammed shut. Sans entered the living room to greet who he presumed was Papyrus, who stomped in, carrier holding the meowing cat in hand. 

Papyrus set down the carrier and opened it, allowing the feline in question to dart out. Rising back up to his full height, Papyrus set his sight on Sans. “SANS, YOU’RE HOME. I NEED TO SPEAK TO YOU.”

_ ugh… _

Papyrus better not have some odd job for him that took him away from you for the evening. 

“sure bro, what is it? _ tibia _honest, i’m a lil’ busy tonight so let's make it quick.” 

Papyrus’ brows narrowed into a glare. “NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR JOKES.” He jabbed a skeletal finger towards the now-empty carrier. “WHERE DID YOU GET THIS CAT, SANS?”

_ huh? _

“... i told ya, i found it as a stray.” Sans scratched his skull. “why? what’s wrong with it?” 

“WELL! SINCE I AM A RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER, I WAS READING ON THE INTERNET ABOUT CATS AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE CAT TO THE VETERINARIAN FOR A CHECK UP.” Papyrus crossed his arms and cast Sans a scornful look. “ALONG WITH VACCINATIONS, THE VETERINARIAN ADVISED THAT I MICROCHIP THE CAT IN CASE HE EVER GOT LOST.”

Sans arched a bony brow. “and…? why’s that a big deal.”

“THE CAT ALREADY HAS A MICROCHIP, SANS. AND IT’S REGISTERED UNDER YOUR GIRLFRIEND’S NAME.” Papyrus took a deep breath before advancing a step forward. “WHY DO I HAVE A CAT THAT BELONGS TO YOUR GIRLFRIEND, SANS? WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING…? WHY DIDN’T SHE SAY ANYTHING…?” 

_ shit. _

_ defuse... defuse… gotta defuse… _

Papyrus’ sockets seemed to sag, the sheer look of betrayal painting his face that making Sans’ previously swelling soul deflate. Nonetheless, Sans offered a reassuring grin. “it’s prolly just a mistake, paps… happens all the time. she definitely woulda said something if it was her cat.”

“I… I AM SORRY, BUT I DON’T BELIEVE YOU, SANS.” Papyrus shook his head, inhaling and exhaling another breath. “AND THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT, THE MORE I DON’T BELIEVE YOU ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS… EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR GIRLFRIEND DOESN’T ADD UP… HOW YOU KEPT HER A SECRET FROM ME, WHY SHE SEEMED SO SICK WHEN YOU BROUGHT HER OVER.”

_ no... paps… please don’t… _

“SANS…”

_ paps don’t… _

“WHAT ARE YOU HIDING FROM ME?”

“i-i’m not hiding anything… we’re family, i got no reason to keep anything a secret from you.” Sans let out a forced chuckle, tracing the crack in his skull - perhaps in hopes to draw attention to it and garner some sympathy. “cept’ when i forget… you know that’s tough for me sometimes.”

“DON’T GIVE ME EXCUSES.” Papyrus straightened his posture, as though attempting to look bold despite the way his sockets continued to droop and his eye-lights dimmed. “… AS YOU KNOW, EVER SINCE I STARTED VOLUNTEERING FOR THE HUMAN POLICE, I HAVE LEARNED TO PAY ATTENTION TO EVEN THE SMALLEST OF CLUES.”

“paps-”

** _please. _ **

“-AND YOU KNOW HOW LONG THE DRIVE IS FROM THE CITY TO HOME… I HAD NOTHING BUT TIME TO THINK. I JUST KEPT THINKING AND THINKING… THINKING ABOUT YOUR PECULIAR BEHAVIOR EVER SINCE YOU MET THAT GIRL… WHY SHE ACTED THE WAY SHE DID… BEING THE EXCEPTIONAL DETECTIVE I AM, I ALWAYS _ KNEW _SOMETHING WASN’T RIGHT.” Papyrus reset his jaw, eye-lights drifting towards the window in the living room. “I ADMIT I… LOOKED THE OTHER WAY BECAUSE I WANTED TO TRUST YOU SANS… I DIDN’T WANT TO THINK THAT MY OWN BROTHER WOULD DO SOMETHING SO HEINOUS... BUT…” 

“-you _ can _trust me, paps… i promise i didn’t do anything bad…” Sans interjected.

“I WISH THAT WERE TRUE…” Papyrus fiddled with something in his pocket, dulled eye-lights shifting back to Sans. “I THOUGHT ABOUT IT THE ENTIRE DRIVE HOME… AND THERE’S NO WAY YOU COULD HIDE A HUMAN IN THE HOUSE FROM ME. THERE’S ONLY ONE PLACE ON THIS PROPERTY YOU COULD KEEP HER… JUST LIKE WHAT WE USED TO DO IN THE UNDERGROUND... SOMETHING THAT I LEARNED WAS WRONG AND THOUGHT WE WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN.” 

Sans opened his mouth to retort, but Papyrus was out the door before he could get the words out. Soul plummeting, Sans spotted the hazel eyes of that damn _ cat _ staring at him from the stairwell, as though taunting him. He growled, seething internally with regret that he didn’t just _ kill it _when he had the chance before whipping around and tailing Papyrus.

Sans was happy. After years of waiting, he was _ finally _ happy… he couldn’t lose you, he _ couldn’t. _

He had to _ stop this. _

His headache roared back to life, threatening to split his skull in two and clouding his vision. 

** _don’t let him take her. _ **

But as he exited the front door himself, all he saw was Papyrus, jangling keys in hand, racing towards the small shelter that you resided in. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warnings: ** Murder, graphic violence (limb dismemberment, decapitation, blood), explicit sexual content (could be considered consensual or dubcon... but due to the MC's situation and mental state, nothing can be truly consensual right now). 
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading! <3 Editing this chapter was a bit rough for me this week and kinda last minute due to all the stress and changes lately, but I hope it was enjoyable!
> 
> The last chapter of this fic will be posted next weekend (likely Saturday)!
> 
> And, with the current situation going on in many areas, I hope you are all doing okay and please stay safe and healthy. <3


	30. Perseverance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilerish ** warnings** at the bottom this chapter. Make sure to check them if you think something might bother you ( but don't read the entire note to avoid massive spoilers).
> 
> Last chapter!!!
> 
> (Also, check out that word count - nice and even :D)

Your chest felt hot, _ full,_ perhaps even a little tingly as you sat on the lumpy, old mattress where Sans had left you.

The feeling had an uncanny similarity to Sans’ magic and you weren’t certain how you felt about that. Even the cyan magical mark on your shoulder burned a little bit hotter now that the… _ bond_… was complete…

You… completed the soul bond with Sans. Something that, even now, you recalled promising yourself that you would never do. 

But… almost all promises were broken in the long run anyway…

Promises were worthless.

Despite everything, you cared for Sans. He showed you that you and he were meant to be together. It was fate, right? So it only made sense that you would break your original promise now that you had a better understanding.

You took a deep breath and clutched a hand to your searing chest. 

This was your new life. 

...

Another breath. 

...

Everything was fine. 

Sans loved you… he was the only one that ever would. Oh, it felt so _ good _that he loved you to the point where it seemed your heart might swell out of your chest; maybe that was what the warm feeling was. 

You felt complete. 

… You still had yet to figure out _ why _he had acted so cold towards you for a time… but whatever the reason, you were glad that he had found it in himself to forgive you.

You needed him.

You _ needed _to be bonded to him.

…

...

<strike>God, you were pathetic.</strike>

...

However… it was… _ odd… _

Despite the cemented and successful bond… you still didn’t feel any different, aside from that odd warmth that threatened to burn a hole through your chest. 

Ever since the partial bond, Sans’ description of bonding always bounced around in your head: _“when we bond i’ll be able to feel everything… your thoughts, feelings, memories… and you’ll be able to feel me too…” _

But even now, you… you felt none of that. Just some strange visions of unknown sceneries that were gone as quickly as they appeared. You really thought that the effects of the bond would manifest once it was complete. <strike>Was something wrong?</strike>

No...

Sans said the bond was successful, so it must have worked… he knew better than you…

Perhaps it was because you were human… Sans always said that humans lacked knowledge of their own souls. It seemed likely that would affect the efficacy of soul bonding. After all, you didn’t feel anything during the partial bond either.

Biting your lip, you shook your head. 

It didn’t matter. Regardless of what you did or _ didn’t _feel… it didn’t change anything. You would still smile, say you loved him… you would do as he asked and keep him happy. You would be a _ good _mate. 

It wasn’t at all a difficult task anymore… you wanted to be good to him. He deserved as much.

You sighed, looking towards the single door in the room, eyes trailing up the large, white bones that barred it. You stared at those bones a lot… the extra safety measure Sans had put in place to ensure you never escaped again. They were thick, varying in length and circumference, and despite their magical origin, they were oddly dirty. But such things were unnecessary… you would never leave Sans now.

A shiver rolling across your skin, you shifted back to the mattress with the intent of curling up beneath your blankets until Sans returned. 

But you ended up holding that thought when you heard… shouting outside…?

You squinted your eyes, leaning forward in an effort to hear better. And then jumped, a small squeak escaping you when the door flew open, a massive magical bone colliding with those that barred the exit and shattering them into pieces that dissipated into blue dust. 

The wind from the outside whistled through the open doorway, rays of sun illuminating the otherwise dim room… and a taller skeleton that definitely _ wasn’t _Sans ducked under the door frame into your prison. 

Your mouth hung open. “P-Papyrus…?” 

The warmth in your chest drained into an icy cold. 

_ Oh no… he’s going to find out! And Sans is going to be mad! _

You scooted away, sinking your back against the wall.

_ Oh no, oh no, oh no, no, no… please go away! _

Papyrus stared at you, his eye-lights narrowing and bones stiffening. “YOU...” 

“paps, listen, i can explain.” The voice of Sans found its way into the room, followed by him entering through the doorway himself moments later.

Papyrus’ pinprick eye lights darted between you and Sans, before resting with concern on you as he advanced a step towards you, prompting you to shrink further into the metal wall.

Sans let out a quiet hiss and moved to stand between you and him, causing Papyrus to halt and cross his arms, sockets narrowing into a look that was simply deadly. His rigid jaw shifted and created a small rattle. 

“EXPLAIN WHAT, SANS? EXPLAIN THAT YOU CAPTURED A HUMAN AND HAVE BEEN KEEPING HER HERE?” Papyrus’ sockets sagged, bones trembling stiffly. “I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND… WHY…? WHY…? WE’RE ON THE SURFACE, WE DON’T NEED TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS ANYMORE. WHY IS SHE HERE…? AND SHE’S SO THIN AND SICK LOOKING - WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING TO HER?!”

Papyrus’ voice seemed to fracture and rise in volume with each passing word, his distress seeping through loud and clear. He glanced over Sans’ shoulder at you, eye-lights shrinking further before glaring at Sans. “... WHY…?” 

Sans stared at his feet, and while you couldn’t see his expression, you saw him kick at the ground. “i... sorry…” 

“NEVERMIND… I CAN PIECE TWO AND TWO TOGETHER…” A look of disgust passed over Papyrus’ face as he eyed your surroundings before again setting his sights on his brother. “SANS… THIS COULD RUIN EVERYTHING. THERE ARE RULES UP HERE - THIS IS ILLEGAL! IF THE HUMANS FOUND OUT... YOU WOULD GO TO PRISON. I WOULD LOSE MY JOB. THE STORE WOULD BE SHUT DOWN... EVERYTHING WE WORKED FOR AFTER FINALLY GAINING FREEDOM… NOT TO MENTION THIS HUMAN IS A LIVING _ BEING _ \- I KNOW _ YOU _ ARE NOT THAT FOND OF HUMANS, BUT THEY DON’T DESERVE _ THIS_.”

“you don’t _ understand_,” Sans exclaimed, “she’s my _ soulmate_… i… had to…” 

Papyrus was scowling again. “YOU HAD TO WHAT? KIDNAP HER? LAST I CHECKED, HUMANS HAD DATING CUSTOMS. YOU COULD HAVE DONE _ THAT _SANS!” 

“she didn’t get it at first… i had to show her,” Sans mumbled. 

“SHOW HER? _ SHOW HER? _YOU COULD HAVE JUST WOOED HER WITH AN EXTRAVAGANT MEAL AND FANCY GIFT! I COULD HAVE LENT YOU MY DATING MANUAL!”

“i-i tried! she still didn’t understand! i didn’t _ want _to do it this way, papyrus!” Sans spoke his words so fast that they strung together, again shifting to block his brother from getting to you as Papyrus tried to sidestep. And his voice dropped to a hesitant whisper, “i… i know i fucked up… i can’t change it now. it’s done.” 

Papyrus didn’t answer, only growling and shoving Sans to the side before rushing to you. He crouched in front of you, white pupils flickering with worry. He lifted his shaking hands as though he wanted to touch you… but stopped short of closing the gap.

And all you could do was tense, heart pounding through your throat while all sorts of awful scenarios played in your head as to how Sans was going to punish you now that Papyrus knew. 

You _ tried_… you _ tried _to be good… 

Did you do something that resulted in Papyrus finding out…? Did you mess up during the dinner…? 

_ I’m sorry Sans! Please don’t hurt me, _you pleaded inwardly as your vision blurred with tears.

“ARE YOU OKAY?”

At your lack of response, Papyrus shook you by the shoulders.

“PLEASE SPEAK TO ME! W-WE CAN FIGURE A WAY OUT OF THIS WHERE EVERYONE CAN BE HAPPY. NO ONE HAS TO GO TO PRISON OR GET HURT. BUT YOU HAVE TO TALK TO ME! _ PLEASE!” _ Papyrus’ voice began to crack, like a frail sheet of glass threatening to shatter; his eye-lights small and quivering, the faintest beads of orange forming at the edges of his sockets.

Again, he shook you. But the fog of fear that clouded your mind locked up your throat and barred any words from squeaking past. Eyes wide, you swallowed and rapidly shook your head. _ I can’t Papyrus… I can’t! Please stop! _

But Sans interjected before Papyrus could say anything further, his heavy footsteps echoing through the room as he inched forward. “bro... we bonded… it’s already said and done. she _ wants _to be here now... ease up on her will ya? you’re scaring her.” 

Papyrus stood in an instant and rounded on Sans. “AS IF YOU COULD CLAIM THAT _ I’M _THE ONE SCARING HER WHEN YOU’RE NO DOUBT THE REASON SHE IS IN THIS DEPLORABLE STATE!” He turned back to you, his bones popping in a way that only made you tremble further. “I’LL ONLY HEAR WHAT SHE WANTS FROM HER.” 

Heart thrumming and breaths growing uneven, you looked past Papyrus towards Sans, taking note of the way his jaw tensed and ruby hue narrowed, small beads of blue sweat adorning his cracked skull. He looked pissed… but perhaps also worried…

Maybe… maybe this was just another test…?

Maybe you could still fix this!

…

You took a deep breath.

...

You knew what to do. 

Resetting your jaw, you allowed yourself to feel the warmth in your chest, the burning at your shoulder, the heaviness of the ring on your finger… you thought of your soulmate as you forced out the words like a seasoned actress, “I… I want to stay with Sans… _I love him_… h-he’s my _soulmate_…” 

Sans’ jaw went the slightest bit slack, his red eye engorging to fill its socket. Papyrus said nothing, only standing in stunned silence for a long moment before storming out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him. 

_____________

** _August 8th_ **

_ I admit I’m a bit new to this diary thing, but Sans gave it to me after I asked him for something to write in. He even promised not to look at it unless I wanted him to. I think I can trust him with that… not that I mind if he looks, I don’t have anything to hide from him. _

_ There’s not much to say about the past couple of months. They have been… strange. That’s really the only way I can describe them. A couple days after Papyrus visited my old room, Sans moved me out and into his house. _

_ It’s so weird to have access to these things now. A real house to live in, complete with a kitchen and bathroom and a television, along with a journal to write in. It even has windows and access to the sun. I really missed seeing the sun… although it took a while to adjust to how bright it was. _

_ Granted, Sans didn’t trust me much at first… I can’t blame him. I know I’ve done some bad things before understanding my place here. Sans keeps me locked in his room when no one is home, barring the door and window with magical bones. It really isn’t necessary - I never plan on leaving him. But I understand him taking precautions considering what I’ve done in the past. _

_ Sans lets me have full reign of the house when he is home though, letting me read on the couch or watch TV with him. I get to spend time with Jingles… I really missed that cat. I’m even allowed to have as much food as I want from the kitchen. In fact, I’m pretty certain I’m eating too much now considering Sans and Papyrus are always trying to push food on me. They say they have to 'fatten me up'. _

_Oh! Sans even fixed my engagement ring that I broke when he first brought me here. Got a brand new diamond for it and everything. I feel really bad for breaking it in the first place, it must have cost a lot... but I'll never make that mistake again. He really has forgiven me for a lot... _

_ Things are good now... it’s nice… I could really see myself getting used to this. _

** _August 20th_ **

_ Things have been going okay. I’ve been having some anxiety issues… the house just feels so big and open. I thought I would like it at first, but seeing all that space… I don’t know… I just feel more comfortable staying in Sans’ room. _

_ I’ve been working on some breathing exercises to try to help as well as some yoga movements that I remember… and it works a little. I think I’m slowly getting better. _

_ Papyrus tries hard to get me to leave the room, trying to get me to play board games with him and the like. I admit it is a little tempting… but I don’t know Papyrus that well yet, so it feels weird to be around him when Sans isn’t here. Especially since things have been fairly tense between him and Sans lately. I’d rather not risk getting in the middle. _

_ It’s weird… Papyrus actually seems to dislike his brother… I didn’t expect that... _

  
  


** _August 28th_ **

_ Sans has always been pretty generous with gifts, but especially so as of late! It seems that every day he brings me flowers or chocolates or some kind of stuffed animal. I like it - it makes me feel loved. I’ve always wanted to be with a guy that bought me gifts ‘just because’, so I’m glad that guy is my soulmate! _

_ Not to mention he always asks if I want anything every day - whether it be a special food or a new movie or book. I don’t ask for much - I don’t want to be a burden, but when I do ask, I can count on him to get it for me the next day. _

_ Granted, the catch is that Sans asks me to stay in his room unless he is home. He doesn’t lock the door with bones when Papyrus is home, but he seems to prefer that I only come out when he is also home. _

_ It’s okay. I’m fine with staying in the room. I’ve said before that I feel better being there without Sans around. _

  
  


** _September 3rd_ **

_ Sans and Papyrus are fighting again… _

_ Well, actually, it’s more like Papyrus is yelling while Sans stays quiet. _

_ I’m hiding in Sans’ room right now, trying to stay out of the way. But I can still hear them, and I know that I’m the subject of the argument. _

_ They’ve been fighting a lot lately… _

_ I don’t get it… Sans spoke so fondly of his brother before - did he and Papyrus always have a rocky relationship? _

_ I feel responsible. But I don’t know what to do to make it better. _

  
  


** _September 14th_ **

_ The relationship between the two brothers still feels tense. I tried to avoid the conflict, but I feel like I can’t. It seems like not a single moment goes by now where I’m not within the presence of Papyrus. He won’t even let me stay in the room by myself anymore. And when Sans is around, Papyrus hovers like an overly-protective parent, criticizing Sans’ every action. _

_ It’s safe to say that Sans and I haven’t had much of a sex life lately… _

_ Some good did come of it though. Papyrus started taking me outside to help him with his garden. And even Sans takes me outside on occasion too. It’s never very far… only around their front yard. But the fresh air sure is nice. I didn’t realize I’d like it so much and it’s helped me feel a bit more comfortable outside of the room. _

_ I’ve been getting to know Papyrus more lately. Sometimes he watches TV or plays a board game with me, or just tries to talk to me. I try to help him cook and clean when I can too. Since I’m not allowed to have a job, it feels like the least I can do to contribute. Papyrus really is a nice guy, I don’t know why I was scared of him before. I’m hopeful that if my relationship with him improves, then he and Sans will stop fighting about me. _

  
  


** _September 29th_ **

_ Sans got mad at me today… _

_ I didn’t mean to upset him. I was just trying to get to know his brother better to integrate into the family… but I guess that made Sans a little jealous. _

_ I expected him to punish me. He still scares me sometimes and I really thought that he would this time… just like he used to… _

_ But he didn’t. We had make up sex and he seemed happy with that. I do love him, it feels weird to say that sometimes considering how our relationship began… but I can’t imagine being without him now. _

_ Sans is right: I should be devoted only to my soulmate, so I’ll distance myself from Papyrus now. _

  
  


** _October 1st_ **

_ I’m thankful to write that Sans and I have been doing better ever since the fight. It even feels like he trusts me more than he used to. He lets his guard down around me and he doesn’t seem so intent to constantly hover around me. Not that I minded him staying with me all the time, but it feels good to know that he believes me when I say I never plan on leaving or betraying him. _

_ In fact, he and Papyrus seem to be getting along better now. They don’t talk much… but they also don’t argue as much anymore either. So maybe a step in the right direction? _

_ I hope we can all be happy someday. _

  
  


** _October 7th_ **

_ We had a celebration for Papyrus today! There was cake and everything! Apparently Papyrus had been working towards becoming a full police officer, and the city police force hired him on for a paid position today. I’m happy for him… I just wish he seemed more happy about it. I really thought he would be. _

_ I overheard him talking to Sans a bit later, claiming he felt guilty. He almost seemed angry at Sans - I wonder why? I hope they don’t start fighting all the time again… _

_<strike> Was Papyrus guilty because of me?</strike> _

_ Of course, this also means Papyrus won’t be able to help Sans out with the store as much, so Sans will probably be working more. I miss him when he’s at work, but I understand. I’ll always be there to greet him when he gets home and I know he’ll always make time for me. _

  
  


**October 14th**

_ Papyrus gave me a present today… although I’m not really certain if I’m supposed to have it. _ _<strike> I’m not even supposed to be talking to Papyrus without Sans around.</strike> _

_ It’s a knife. Just a run of the mill kitchen knife. _

_ I haven’t seen a single sharp object since I moved in here. Sans said he didn’t trust me not to hurt myself, so he removed them. Even when I help Papyrus cook, I have to let him do the cutting. _

_ Papyrus said this was so I could cut my own stuff when doing food prep since he would be too busy to help me cook now… but he also told me to keep it a secret from Sans. _

_ I hid it beneath the sink in the kitchen. _

_<strike> Should I tell Sans?</strike> _

** _October 25th_ **

_ Today was one of the worst days of my life. Jingles snuck outside and… he got hurt. Sans thinks he got attacked by a coyote. _ _<strike> Was that really what happened though?</strike> _

_ Papyrus had to take him to the vet to be euthanized… _

_ Sans spent the entire day with me, holding me and comforting me while I cried. I know Sans wasn’t attached to Jingles like me, but he still cared enough to be there for me in my grief. _

_ I don’t know how I lived life before Sans. _

_<strike> Sans wouldn’t have hurt Jingles, right?</strike> _

_ Sans is gone right now, which is the only reason I’m writing this instead of being with him. He went to go get us a nice meal to make things better. It’s funny, he really does think the food is the cure to all problems. That might not be the case for me, but I’ll always appreciate the effort he puts in to make me happy. _

  
  


** _November 3rd_ **

_ Sans took me out stargazing tonight! It was really nice! I didn’t know he knew so much about constellations - I learned a lot! I’m still pretty sad about Jingles, so this was a nice distraction. Sans was so sweet to think of me like that. _

_ I hope he will take me on more dates like that in the future. The stars really are gorgeous out in the country. I don’t know why I wasted so many years living in the city. _

_ I’m lucky that I had Sans to show me how good it could be. _

<strike> _ … Although I admit… a part of me still feels like this is wrong… _ </strike>

  
  


** _November 15th_ **

_ Today is an important day! _

_ It marks the anniversary of when Sans _ <strike>_ kidnapped me _</strike> _ brought me home with him. Of course, while our real anniversary is the day of our soul bond, this day still holds a special place in my heart. It was technically the start of Sans’ and mine’s relationship. _

_ Sans even got me a present - a really beautiful oak wood urn containing Jingles’ ashes. It has gorgeous engravings and everything. _

_ We put it on the fireplace mantle with my parents’ ashes. It fits nicely there. _

_ Also… Papyrus was out for the whole day today. Something to do with a work emergency, he said. And while I was curious, I didn’t mind… it gave Sans and I the day to ourselves, and boy was that a fun day if you know what I mean. ;) _

_ I felt bad that I wasn’t able to get Sans a present, so I rewarded him in the only way I knew how. _ _<strike> Sometimes I feel like that’s the only thing he wants me for. </strike> _

_<strike> Is this really how a relationship is supposed to be?</strike> _

_ Sans is pretty tuckered out from it all and I am too. I should be getting to bed now but I just felt like I needed to write. _ _<strike> I’ve been pretty stressed here lately and it helps.</strike> _

Clasping the diary shut, you sighed and tucked it away in your bed stand.

You looked to Sans, who was snoring softly next to you, clad only in a t-shirt and shorts, his bony arm slung over your thighs. A small smile played on your lips as you noticed the blue drool dribbling down his slack jaw. 

Groaning, you rubbed your temple.

_ Headache… _

Ever since bonding with Sans, you swore you got headaches more often. But you weren’t certain if it was related to the bond - you had never found the right moment to ask and you would rather not pester him with pointless questions.

Sans did have medicine to help with the headaches, but you didn’t know where he kept it. He generally just gave it to you when you asked. Should you wake him…? Would waking him up annoy him…?

_ He’s been pretty worn out lately with the store... I should just let him sleep. _

Slowly… you were learning to be more self sufficient again. You prepared your own meals now, kept yourself occupied… you could handle this on your own. 

You wiggled yourself out of Sans’ hold and stumbled downstairs to the kitchen.

_ Water… water... _

You filled a glass and downed it in seconds. It did little to remedy your headache, but it was soothing on your dry throat. 

The sound of the TV playing attracted you to the living room, finding it still on and set to the news. 

_ Papyrus must’ve forgotten to turn it off before he left. _

Indeed, while Papyrus was typically tidy, he had left pretty quickly after getting that phone call.

You wondered what it was about… 

Setting the empty glass down, you grabbed the remote with the intention of switching it off… only to freeze when the news anchor gave an update that made your jaw drop. 

** _‘Authorities have confirmed that the body parts recovered from the Underground matched the DNA of Brian Scott, who has been missing for several months now. Subsequent investigation is being done to determine who is responsible. There are no suspects currently, but authorities are requesting that anyone who knows the location of this woman contact them. The online activity of Mr. Scott has shown that he had been in contact with the woman, who was his former coworker, shortly before his murder.’_ **

_ Huh…? _

An image of your face flashed on the screen… but you were too focused on everything _ else _the anchor was saying to pay much mind.

_ … _

Did you… hear that right?

_ Brian…? _

_ … _

Your Brian…?

…

He’s… dead…?

But Sans said… Sans said…

Chest feeling hollow and head seeming to split in two due to a sudden throb, images of snow-covered land invaded your mind… white soaked in deep red… dismembered limbs strewn about the ground…

And you remembered, you saw that image briefly during the soul bond too… but you didn’t know what to make of it then…

Now it made sense.

...

_ No… _

_ … _

The photo that popped up on the television of Brian’s face only confirmed it, removing any hope that this was a _ different _Brian Scott.

And the realization came crashing down on you like an avalanche, sending shards of ice straight through your soul.

…

…

_ Sans lied. _

You continued to watch, although not truly processing the words and images on the screen as your old boss, Cameron, was interviewed on camera. His blonde hair was disheveled and expression worn, clearly upset by the events that had occurred. 

** _‘“I just don’t understand why someone would do this to Brian,” Cameron said as he raked a hand through his hair, eyes cast anywhere but the camera. “He was a good person, both to monsters and humans.”’_ **

The camera panned back to the anchor. 

** _‘The discovery of Mr. Scott’s body has sparked a series of protests and riots, with some groups believing that a monster is responsible for the murder due to remnants of magic being found on the victim’s body. The monster queen and human ambassador, Toriel, has declined to comment on the matter until additional investigation is done, but has assured that there is a means of testing the magic to determine the source. The authorities would like to ask that the public leave the investigative work to the police, and if anyone, monster or human feels threatened to please call the emergency police line.’_ **

…

The remote slipped from your hands, falling to the ground with a clatter. Your limbs felt as though they didn’t exist on your body anymore, too numb to function. Heart thrumming in your chest and breaths leaving you in short gasps, you felt as though you _ wanted _to cry… but no tears came…

There’s no other person that you could think of that would have reason to go after Brian… except for Sans…

Did you… do something that pushed Sans over the edge…? Was this because Papyrus found out…?

… Was this your fault…?

...

…

No…

You _ asked _Sans if you were being good; you pleaded with him to assure you that Brian would be left alone.

… And Sans… he lied to you...

Your lip quivered as you held back a sob. 

He… he let you think that he had changed for the better… he promised you that he wouldn’t hurt anyone else… but he did anyway. 

He let you _ willingly _have sex with him… bond souls with him… live with him… 

He _ pretended _to comfort you… to love you…

And you loved him back; you gave him your all… and he still… he still… 

...

Your world ** _shattered_****. **

Sans never changed… he was still just as cruel as before. He was still a ** _monster. _ **

Your soulmate… your one and only soulmate...

…

...

… Your _ soulmate _that… kidnapped you… and forced you to be with him… 

...

What were you _ doing _ being so domestic with him? What was _ wrong _with you?

…

...

What kind of _ soulmate _does things like this to their partner…?

…

…

You didn’t even process the events that occurred next… you barely even registered yourself as you mechanically moved to the kitchen and reached beneath the sink to grab the knife Papyrus had gifted you. 

You stumbled upstairs... 

The next thing you knew, you found yourself standing over Sans’ bed; watching in the dark as he snored peacefully, his limbs sprawled out and tangled within the balls of sheets that littered the mattress.

Unaware… unassuming…

Far too peaceful for a psychopathic _ murderer. _

Brian’s death wasn’t your fault - you did all that you could. And Alyssa and Jake… it wasn’t your fault either… _ none of this _was your fault like he tried to make you believe it was.

**It was his fault.**

** _He _ **did this to you. 

Taking a deep, shaky breath, you pulled his shirt over his collarbone to reveal the pearlescent, gleaming soul within his ribcage. He shifted at the action, a small rattle finding his bones… but he didn’t wake.

Your head _ pounded_… nausea roiling in your gut and your fingers feeling disembodied from your hands as you found difficulty in clutching the knife.

But you managed to hold on as you raised it up…

...

Even now your soul _ pulled _within you.

_ Screaming _ at you that this was your _ soulmate_. 

Despite everything, despite all that he had done… _you loved him. _

…

…

Maybe you should just… forgive and forget…? Continue living your life as it was…

It would be easier… 

Promises were worthless anyways...

… How could you live without Sans now…? The thought of being without him… _ it hurt_**_… _ **like a dagger being stabbed through your heart.

No one would ever love you like Sans did.

You only had one soulmate after all.

The hand with the knife began to fall… your legs trembling and threatening to collapse beneath you. Tears stung your eyes and you found yourself beginning to panic internally as you feared him waking up and seeing you like this.

What would he do? _ What would he do…? _ Would you be punished…? Would he kill more people…? Would he hurt _ you? _

You had to fix this! 

Your breath hitched and you shook your throbbing head, knifeless hand tugging at your tangled hair. Pain shot through your roots and burned your scalp. 

…

...

** _No._ **

_ This isn’t real love. This isn’t healthy. _

_ You’re worth more than this. _

Easier isn’t better. Just because you’re content here doesn’t mean it’s okay. It doesn’t make it _ right. _

And Sans… he’s a...

_ Liar. _

_ Rapist. _

_ Murderer. _

<strike>_ My soulmate. _</strike>

_ … _

_ ... _

You <strike>loved</strike> **_h a t e d _**him.

In one swift motion, you jabbed the blade of the knife between his ribs and pierced the inverted heart within. A gush of magic swirled through the room, creating that familiar heaviness in the air that made your breaths turn jagged. The soul pulsed, cracks splitting across the surface like a pane of glass in the process of shattering and the blue tendrils attached to it vanishing in a burst of mist.

A sharp pain penetrated your chest in synchronization, making you jolt.

Sans’ eyelids flew open and a scream ripped through your throat when he clutched your wrist, claws digging into your skin and his red hue pulsing with cyan wisps. 

_ No! _

You whimpered, bracing yourself to be thrown against the wall by magic.

But nothing came…

A look of sheer betrayal and perhaps… sadness swam in his sockets. His jaw moved, as though trying to speak… and despite his skeletal features, you swore you saw him mouth... _‘sorry’_... but no audible words formed… and his grip on your wrist fell slack.

His eye lights grew dull… red hue shrinking… and then they snuffed out…

… Leaving nothing but deep pits holding a sea of abyssal black...

Even the light of his soul seemed to dissipate, the only remnants a dull, colorless, cracked heart.

You shook, a stuttered wail forcing past your lips as you collapsed onto the bed next to him, sobbing into the sheets.

Your head hurt_ … _ your soul _ hurt... _

Your body felt broken… _ exhausted… _

All you could do was sit there and watch as his skeletal form slowly degraded and turned to dust on the bed, only leaving behind his clothes. Your <strike>soulmate</strike>… _ gone… _

<strike>But was he really gone? </strike>

Fog clouding your mind, a feeling of loss twisted your gut as you sifted your fingers through the dust.

_ Why…? _

You wanted this… deep down you’d _always _wanted this…

Why were you sad…? Why was it so _ hard? _

Sniffling, you grabbed the knife with shaking hands and pressed the sharp end of the blade against your neck. This time… you wouldn’t mess up… you would sever every artery in your throat. <strike>You couldn’t live without Sans</strike>…

Your mind seemed to chant...

<strike> _ Do it. _ </strike>

<strike> _ Do it. _ </strike>

<strike> _ Do it. _ </strike>

The tip was pressed deeper into your neck, skin caving under the pressure and threatening to break…

…

<strike> ** _Do it._ ** </strike>

...

But the sound of a car screeching into the driveway, followed by the front door opening and slamming shut downstairs snapped you back to reality, the thundering footsteps of Papyrus ascending the stairs. 

You dropped the knife, it falling into the pile of Sans’ dust and creating a poof of grey on impact.

“SANS! WAKE UP! I NEED TO SPEAK TO YOU!” Papyrus’ booming voice echoed through the house, “WE MIGHT NEED TO LEAVE! THEY… THEY KNOW…”

_ Oh no… _

What would Papyrus do to you if he found out…? This… this was his _ brother… _his only family… 

_ No, no, no, no… _

Again you looked towards the knife… thinking… tempted…

…

…

...

** _No. _ **

_ You’re better than this. You’re worth more than this. Keep going. _ ** _Live. _ **

Wiping the tears from your face, you launched towards the window and ripped it open, only pausing to glance at Sans’ dust. You almost… wanted to take it with you…

...

_ Don’t. _

He doesn’t control you anymore. You didn’t need him. 

... And he was _not _your _soulmate. __  
_

You jumped.

The sound of crunching hit your ears and rattled your bones as you crashed onto the earthy ground, pain rocketing up your arm and throbbing at your ribcage. The bush below had buffered your fall somewhat, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a fractured wrist and possibly a few broken ribs.

Wheezing jaggedly, you clutched your chest with your uninjured hand and stood. Night blanketed the land, the overcast sky preventing even the stars and moon from offering light. 

You took one last look at the house behind you before limping forward. 

A shocked scream followed by the incoherent, grief-stricken shouting of Papyrus made you halt, muscles stiffening as a pang of anguished guilt coiled within you. 

_ Sorry… Papyrus… _

_ … _

_ ... _

_ … _ _<strike> Did I do the right thing…?</strike> _

You still found yourself uncertain of that, remorse hammering you and soul aching as though it had been shredded to pieces. 

But you didn’t look back as you continued forward through the field, each rough breath making your lungs burn and the cool breeze of the night prickling your skin with goosebumps. Hopeful that Papyrus wouldn’t look out the window and see you…

… Would Papyrus kill you if he caught you…? 

Such things remained a mystery, and you weren’t about to stick around to find out.

You kept trudging forward through the grass, the soft earth squishing beneath your shoe-less feet.

Where were you going? You didn’t even know. You still had no idea where you were… Sans had never told you where this area was located. 

Even if you _did_ know your location… you still didn’t know _ where _you were going.

Where do you start…? What do you do after all this…?

You escaped, but… the outside world felt foreign now. Like you had crashed on an alien planet with no sense of where you were. 

You didn’t know…

All you knew was that you would survive. You would make it through this. You would _ persevere. _

There was a world still out there waiting for you to return. You still had hopes and dreams and aspirations… those never died.

Despite the pain in your chest, your soul seemed to swell at the thought; the constant burning of the mark on you shoulder almost growing fainter. A near-manic giggle wheezed past your lips and you only slowed for a moment to slide the golden engagement ring off of your finger. You let it slip from your hands and it hit the ground without a sound.

**You were free. **

The wailing of sirens echoed in the distance as you wandered their direction down the dark, gravel road. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warnings: ** Character death.
> 
> ** Spoilers Below **
> 
> (A darker {and kinda crackish} alternate ending has now been posted and can be found [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23724286/chapters/56970469)!)
> 
> Annnnd that wraps it up! Thank you so, so much to everyone who has supported me for this story! It’s actually the longest thing I’ve ever written and it feels almost surreal to be done. Regardless of whether you loved or hated the ending, I appreciate all of you readers. You’re what gave me the encouragement to keep going <3
> 
> I actually had about 10 different ending possibilities for this story. And maybe someday I’ll post an alternate ending to show how else this could have gone should the characters have made different decisions (or mistakes). But I felt that this ending was the most fitting to the characters given the reader's perseverance soul and Sans' irredeemable actions. I know some of you were hoping for a happy ending for Sans, but ultimately he failed to do the right thing in the end and got punished for it... I'd like to think that his former, non-crazy self would approve of this karma justice. 
> 
> Anyways, with all that's happened, lets hope Reader gets lots of therapy... I may even write a short follow up to this story to show what ended up happening to Reader and Papyrus after Sans’ death. Orrr maybe I'll just leave it open for interpretation. ;) If I do end up posting any of these aftermath, what if's, deleted, or alternate ending scenes they will likely be as a separate story, so I created a collection for this story for that purpose.
> 
> Before you leave, make sure to check out this awesome [** fanart **](https://www.deviantart.com/mkirina/art/I-always-love-you-834844016) by [** Matsubara_Kirina **](https://www.deviantart.com/mkirina). It's based on dialogue from chapter 28 with their OC as Reader. :D I'm honored that someone felt inspired to draw something based on this story. Thank you! <3 
> 
> The journal/diary writing style idea in this chapter was heavily inspired by the story [ Good Girl ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12320235/chapters/28010847) the 'What If' chapter. It's an orphaned story and very very dark, but well-written and a good read if you like dark Underfell.
> 
> Again, thank you so much for reading! You guys are the best. <33 I’d love to hear what you thought of the story if you feel like leaving a comment (but don't feel like you have to if you don't want to)! I hope you are all staying safe and healthy, and always remember to persevere. ;) <3


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